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Tamio Igarashi

Tatsuo Sumino

Takayuki Nakamura

Hiroyoshi Emori

Naomichi Mori

Minoru Kayanoki

Tsutomu Minaki

Ryuichi Matsuyama

An oligomer is provided having a polyalkylene glycol main structure, a polymeric double bond group arranged at both ends of the main structure, and a sub-structure arranged between the main structure and each polymeric double bond group. The sub-structures lengthen the main structure, and are composed of a urethane bond and an ethyleneoxy, or a urethane bond, an ethyleneoxy and a propyleneoxy. The introduction of urethane bonds causes crystallization (network formation) with the urethane bonds themselves so that a hydrous gel resulting from polymerizing the oligomer has increased flexibility, strength and erosion resistance. As a result, even though the main structure is lengthened to increase capacity to entrap microorganisms, the strength of the hydrous gel is not reduced. The ethyleneoxy weakens hydrophobicity of urethane regions to improve affinity of the gel for microorganisms. Microorganisms can adhere to and grow on the surface of a hydrous gel produced by polymerizing the oligomer. A hydrous gel containing entrapped microorganisms can be formed by mixing microorganisms with the oligomer and polymerizing. Environmental pollutants can be decomposed using the hydrous gel containing microorganisms.

Oligomers for polymerizing to produce hydrous gels entrapping microorganisms

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Tokyo, Japan

Tamio Igarashi