The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

William N Marmer

Mustafa Arifoglu

Thomas A Foglia

Maryann M Taylor

George C Na

Michael J Haas

Eleanor M Brown

Edward J Diefendorf

Lloyd A Nelson

Luisa F Cabeza

The present invention relates to a method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters, involving transesterifying a feedstock containing lipid-linked fatty acids with an alcohol and an alkaline catalyst to form fatty acid alkyl esters. The feedstock has not been previously treated to release the lipid components of said feedstock, or the feedstock has been previously treated to release lipid components and the feedstock contains residual lipids (e.g., &#x3c;about 30% of the original content of lipids).

Production of fatty acid alkyl esters

A method of producing useful products from animal by-products by incubating animal by-products in a transglutaminase-containing solution to produce transglutaminase-treated animal by-products, compressing the transglutaminase-treated animal by-products to produced a compressed product, and drying the compressed product. The transglutaminase containing solution need not contain casein.

Enzymatic treatment of proteinaceous animal by-product materials to impart cohesion and strength

A method is described which utilizes lipases to transesterify triglyceride-containing substances and to esterify free fatty acids to alkyl esters using short chain alcohols. The alkyl esters are useful as alternatives or additives to automotive fuels and lubricants. The method is particularly advantageous because it utilizes inexpensive feedstocks such as animal fats, vegetable oils, rendered fats and restaurant grease as substrates.

Production of biodiesel, lubricants and fuel and lubricant additives

The present invention is drawn to new processes for sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching and dyeing of fibers (e.g. natural, synthetic, or blends thereof) e.g. in a single bath, which provide superior bleaching with less physical damage and therefore improved dyeing. Said processes comprising the steps of: (1) bleaching fibers with hydrogen peroxide; (2) adding either, (a) a material which combines with hydrogen peroxide to form a reductive bleaching agent, or (b) an inactivating material to inactivate unspent hydrogen peroxide with subsequent addition of a reductive bleaching agent; (3) reductively bleaching the already oxidatively bleached fibers; (4) adding an oxidizing material in an amount at least sufficient to oxide excess reductive bleaching agent; and (5) dyeing of the bleached fibers. Also encompassed by the present invention are novel bleached and dyed fibers produced by the aforementioned processes, having highly advantageous and desirable properties.

Sequential oxidative/reductive bleaching and dyeing in a multi-component

The present invention is drawn to new processes for sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching of fibers (e.g. natural, synthetic, or blends thereof) e.g. in a single bath, which provide superior bleaching with less physical damage. Said processes comprising the steps of: (1) bleaching fibers with hydrogen peroxide; (2) adding either, (a) a material which combines with hydrogen peroxide to form a reductive bleaching agent, or (b) an inactivating material to inactivate unspent hydrogen peroxide with subsequent addition of a reductive bleaching agent, and; (3) reductively bleaching the already oxidatively bleached fibers. Also encompassed by the present invention are novel bleached fibers produced by the aformentioned processes, having highly advantageous and desirable properties e.g. a high degree of whiteness with low degree of damage.

Sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching in a multicomponent single

Materials containing both chromium and protein and treated by processes which include the steps of: combining a material to be treated (i.e. containing both chromium and protein) with sufficient water to produce a mixture having from about 75 wt. % water to about 95 wt. % water, and an additive which both provides an alkaline pH and provides calcium or magnesium as an enzyme cofactor. The mixture is thereafter held at a temperature of from about 60.degree. C. to about 75.degree. C. for a period of time of from about 0.5 hour to about 4 hours. Subsequently, at least one enzyme is utilized to hydrolyze the protein, thus producing a product containing solubilized hydrolyzed protein and insoluble chromium. After separation of the soluble fraction from the insoluble fraction, the chrome in the insoluble residue may be recycled into the pickling or tanning process, and the essentially chrome-free protein hydrolyzate is potentially useful as an ingredient in feeds, fertilizers, and cosmetics. The processes of the present invention are used to particular advantage to treat wastes from the leather tanning industry, for example, material such as blue stock, chrome shavings, chrome buffing dust, chrome cakes and chrome sludges.

Enzymatic processing of materials containing chromium and protein

The present invention is drawn to new processes for sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching of pigmented and unpigmented fibers (e.g. natural, synthetic, or blends thereof) e.g. in a single bath, which provide superior bleaching with less physical damage. Said processes including processes comprised of: (1) adsorption of ferrous ions by pigmented and unpigmented fibers; (2) removing a portion of the ferrous ions from the fibers, with at least a portion of the ions remaining on the pigmented fibers; (3) contacting the fibers with hydrogen peroxide to provide oxidative bleaching including bleaching by interaction with the ferrous ions; (4) adding either (a) a material which combines with hydrogen peroxide to form a reductive bleaching agent, or (b) an inactivating material to inactivate unspent hydrogen peroxide with subsequent addition of a reductive bleaching agent, and; (5) reductively bleaching the already oxidatively bleached fibers. The aforementioned processes provide the advantages of preventing deposition of ferric species and producing fibers which are essentially free of iron residue. The present invention also encompasses processes employing hydrogen peroxide and at least one persulfate containing compound, rather than the aforementioned iron-mordanting. The instant invention produces fibers having surprising, highly advantageous, and desirable properties, e.g. fibers which are essentially pigment free, have a high degree of whiteness with low degree of damage.

Sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching of pigmented and

The present invention is drawn to new processes for sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching of pigmented and unpigmented fibers (e.g. natural, synthetic, or blends thereof) e.g. in a single bath, which provide superior bleaching with less physical damage. Said processes including processes comprised of: (1) adsorption of ferrous ions by pigmented and unpigmented fibers; (2) removing a portion of the ferrous ions from the fibers, with at least a portion of the ions remaining on the pigmented fibers; (3) contacting the fibers with hydrogen peroxide to provide oxidative bleaching including bleaching by interaction with the ferrous ions; (4) adding either (a) a material which combines with hydrogen peroxide to form a reductive beaching agent, or (b) an inactivating material to inactivate unspent hydrogen peroxide with subsequent addition of a reductive bleaching agent, and; (5) reductively bleaching the already oxidatively bleached fibers. The aforementioned processes provide the advantages of preventing deposition of ferric species and producing fibers which are essentially free of iron residue. The present invention also encompasses processes employing hydrogen peroxide and at least one persulfate containing compound, rather than the aforementioned iron-mordanting. The instant invention produces fibers having surprising, highly advantageous, and desirable properties, e.g. fibers which are essentially pigment free, have a high degree of whiteness with low degree of damage.

The present invention is drawn to new processes for sequential oxidative and reductive bleaching of fibers (e.g. natural, synthetic, or blends thereof) e.g. in a single bath, which provide superior bleaching with less physical damage. Said processes comprising the steps of: (1) bleaching fibers with hydrogen peroxide; (2) adding either, (a) a material which combines with hydrogen peroxide to form a reductive bleaching agent, or (b) an inactivating material to inactivate unspent hydrogen perioxide with subsequent addition of a reductive bleaching agent, and; (3) reductively bleaching the already oxidatively bleached fibers. Also encompassed by the present invention are novel bleached fibers produced by the aforementioned processes, having highly advantageous and desirable properties e.g. a high degree of whiteness with low degree of damage.

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Fort Washington, PA, United States of America

William N Marmer