The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 04, 2003
David B. Ringelberg, Bradford, VT (US);
Charles A. Weiss, Jr., Clinton, MS (US);
Philip G. Malone, Vicksburg, MS (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite), suitable for use as a slow-release fertilizer for example, is produced by mixing animal manure with a pre-specified amount of a magnesium-rich compound. A pre-specified amount of an enzyme, such as an urease or uricase, is added to the resultant mixture. The temperature and pH of this mixture are maintained within a pre-specified range to facilitate precipitation of the magnesium ammonium phosphate. Optionally, the enzyme-supplemented mixture may be inoculated with a pre-specified amount of bacteria, such as , or , or a species of Bacillus identified as Bacillus sp. SB1. This bacteria-supplemented mixture is then allowed to incubate for about 14 days to form struvite. Alternatively, a pre-specified amount of phosphatase, an enzyme promoting the formation of phosphate from phosphorus-rich organic compounds, may be added with the first enzyme to further accelerate the process and increase the yield of struvite crystals.