High surface low volume fungal biomass composite
AssigneeCorning Glass Works
InventorsRalph A. Messing, Robert A. Oppermann
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Abstract
Immobilized microbe composite comprising a porous, high surface area inorganic support having a controlled population of fungus-like microbes bonded to the internal surfaces of the pores, the support being water insoluble, non-toxic to the microbes, and having a controlled porosity such that at least 70% of the pores, on a pore size distribution basis, have a pore diameter at least as large as the smallest diameter of the fungal spore but less than about sixteen times the largest spore diameter. The composites are especially useful in situations requiring a high biomass surface within a relatively small volume.
Claims19
An immobilized microbe composite comprising a porous, high surface area inorganic support having a controlled population of fungus-like microbes bonded to the internal surfaces of the pores, the support being water-insoluble, non-toxic to the microbes, and having a controlled porosity such that at least 70% of the pores, on a pore size distribution basis, have a pore diameter at least as large as the smallest spore dimension of the microbes but less than about sixteen times the largest major dimension of the spore.
A method of preparing a high surface area, low volume biomass composite comprising the step of exposing an aqueous spore or mycelial suspension of a controlled population of fungi-like microbes to a sterilized porous inorganic support material having a porosity such that at least 70% of the pores, on a pore size distribution basis, have pore diameters at least as large as the smallest spore dimension of the microbes but less than about sixteen times the largest major dimension of the spore of the microbes, the exposure being under conditions sufficient to result in the bonding of at least some of the microbes onto the internal surfaces defining the pores of the support material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.