Microbial compositions and methods

#The present invention relates to compositions and methods comprising microorganisms, for example, for bioremediation. More particularly, the present invention comprises compositions and methods comprising microorganisms, such as bacterial mixtures, for various purposes. For example, effectively remediating soil and water sources and reduction of chemical and organic wastes and reducing the environmental risk from manure, septic, sewage, oil pollution, and other contaminants. Additionally, the compositions and methods of this invention can be used to sustainably manage soil and water, and repair ecosystems affected by contamination or pollution.

#Contaminants, such as hazardous, polluting, or toxic materials or wastes, are a health and safety problem for the United States and for countries world-wide. Governmental agencies, commercial companies, the military, and consumers are searching for more cost-effective technologies that can be used to remove these hazardous and polluting materials. Moreover, environmental regulations are mandating a change to sustainable management of soil and water contamination.

#Contaminants are continuously produced by activities of humans on the planet. In addition, natural causes can release or create contaminants in the environment. Oil and radioactive elements are naturally released into the environment and natural disasters, such as floods, create polluted areas in their wake. In addition to the on-going production of waste materials, there is a large amount of contamination from human and natural activities in the past.

#FIG. 1 shows a chart of representative enzyme activity tests for certain bacteria.

#FIG. 2 is a graph showing a decrease in coliforms after treatment with a composition of the present invention.

#FIGS. 3 A and B are graphs showing nitrogen transfer (A) and nitrate increase (B) in a site after treatment with a composition of the present invention.

#The present invention comprises compositions and methods comprising microbial organisms, which may be used in methods including but not limited to, bioremediation and development and maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Compositions may comprise a mixture of microorganisms, comprising bacteria, fungi, algae, and/or other indigenous or exogenous microorganisms, all of which form a micro ecosystem with roles for its members. It is currently believed, though not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, that compositions and methods of the present invention enhance the naturally occurring mutual symbiosis between the feeding roots of the plants, soil fungi and soil bacteria. Compositions and methods of the present invention may comprise a mixture of isolated microorganisms, and may act as a vehicle and/or a delivery system for exogenous microorganisms and/or endogenous consortia of microorganisms.

#Compositions and methods of the present invention may act in a paracrine and/or mutuality regenerative fashion to restore a polluted or contaminated environment's microorganisms and other flora. For example, in a composition of the present invention, one or more microorganisms may be capable of modifying or eliminating the polluting or contaminating compounds or molecules, one or more microorganisms may provide nutrition and promote healthy ecological processes, and one or more microorganisms may facilitate detoxification activities and regenerate the natural ecology. Microorganisms of the present invention may consume specific substances in the polluted environment, and produce metabolic by-products that act as nutrients for other microorganisms of the composition of the present invention as well as to the microorganisms existing in that environment. Compositions of the present invention may provide microorganisms that produce biological agents including but not limited to antibiotics or surfactants.

#Compositions of the present invention comprise isolated microorganisms and compositions comprising isolated microorganisms. A composition of the present invention is a mixed culture of isolated microorganisms (referred to as IN-M1) that was deposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty, on Jan. 12, 2011, under Account No. 200139, and given Accession Number PTA-12383. This composition comprises isolated microorganisms Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, Lactobacillis helveticus and Lactobacillus caseii. Compositions of the present invention comprise compositions comprising one or more isolated microorganisms. For example, a composition may comprise Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, Candida utilis, Streptococcus lactis, Lactobacillis planterum, Lactobacillis helveticus, and Lactobacillus caseii. For example, a composition may comprise the isolated microorganism Lactobacillis helveticus, referred to herein as IN-LH1, which was deposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty, on Jan. 12, 2011, under Account No. 200139, and given Accession Number. PTA-12386. A composition may comprise the isolated microorganism Bacillus subtilis, referred to herein as IN-BS1, which was deposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty, on Jan. 12, 2011, under Account No. 200139, and given Accession Number. PTA12385. A composition may comprise the isolated microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, referred to herein as IN-SC1, which was deposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty, on Jan. 12, 2011, under Account No. 200139, and given Accession Number. PTA-12384. A composition may comprise the isolated microorganism Rhodopseudomonas palustris, referred to herein as IN-RP1, which was deposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty, on Jan. 12, 2011, under Account No. 200139, and given Accession Number. PTA-12387. A composition of the present invention may comprise a mixture of isolated microorganisms comprising one or more of Lactobacillis helveticus, referred to herein as IN-LH1 (Accession No. PTA-12386), Bacillus subtilis, referred to herein as IN-BS1 (Accession No. PTA-12385), Saccharomyces cerevisiae, referred to herein as IN-SC1 (Accession No. PTA-12384), Rhodopseudomonas palustris, referred to herein as IN-RP1 (Accession No. PTA-12387). Examples of isolated microorganisms in compositions of the present invention include, but are not limited to, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, Candida utilis, Streptococcus lactis, Lactobacillis planterum, Lactobacillis helveticus, and/or Lactobacillus caseii. Compositions of the present invention may comprise differing amounts and combinations of these and other isolated microorganisms depending on the methods being performed. Compositions of the present invention are useful in the methods taught herein.