# US 8,114,292 B2 · Method and micro-organism for treating waste water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,114,292 B2 - Document ID: US8114292B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/298,764 - Filed: 2007-04-20 - Published: 2009-03-19 - Granted: 2012-02-14 - Earliest claimed: 2006-04-27 - Assignees: Eco Solution - Inventors: Alexandre Da Costa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8114292B2 ## CPC - C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates - C02F 3/34: characterised by the microorganisms used - C12P 3/00: Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {(recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02)} - C12R 2001/05: Alcaligenes - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS ## Abstract The invention concerns a novel isolated microorganism characterized in that it is capable of: i) transforming Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides into gas nitrogen; and ii) transforming carbonaceous matter into carbon dioxide; both transformation processes being carried out in aerobic condition. The invention also concerns a method for treating wastewater using said microorganism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An isolated microorganism of the strain CNCM I-3448 Alcaligenes faecalis or microorganisms derived from said strain that it is capable of achieving: i) the conversion of Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides to gaseous nitrogen; and ii) the conversion of the carbonaceous matter to carbon dioxide; the two conversions taking place under aerobic conditions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The isolated microorganism according to claim 1, wherein it converts Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides under applied loading (AL) conditions greater than or equal to 0.2 kgBOD5/kgVMS/d. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The isolated microorganism according to claim 1, wherein it converts Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides under applied loading (AL) conditions greater than 0.5 kgBOD5/kgVMS/d. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein it converts Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides to gaseous nitrogen while accumulating less than 1% nitrogen oxides. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein it converts Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides to gaseous nitrogen in an optimum manner when the C/N ratio in the medium is less than 4, preferably less than 3, in a yet more preferred manner of the order of 1.5. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A wastewater treatment method which utilizes a microorganism according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 6 for the conversion of Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides contained in the wastewater to gaseous nitrogen, under aerobic conditions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 7 for the combined treatments of Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides and the carbonaceous matter contained in the wastewater, under aerobic conditions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 8, wherein Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides are converted to gaseous nitrogen and the carbonaceous matter is converted to carbon dioxide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 8, wherein the applied load (AL) is greater than 0.2 kgBOD5/kgVMS/d. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 10, wherein the applied load (AL) is greater than 0.5 kgBOD5/kgVMS/d. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) The wastewater treatment method according to any one of claim 6 and 7 to 11, wherein no external carbonaceous source is added to the wastewater for treatment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 6, wherein the treatments take place in a single free activated sludge tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 6, wherein the treatments take place in a culture device fixed on a support. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 6, wherein the microorganism is produced by continuous culture beforehand. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 15, wherein the continuous culture of the microorganism is carried out under sterile conditions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 16, wherein the continuous culture of the microorganism is carried out under selective pressure and for indefinite periods. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 6 comprising the following stages: i) culture of the microorganism, wherein the microorganism is capable of achieving: i) the conversion of Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides to gaseous nitrogen; and ii) the conversion of the carbonaceous matter to carbon dioxide; the two conversions taking place under aerobic conditions; ii) the automatic supply of a treatment device containing the wastewater for treatment by repeated inputs of the culture produced in stage i); and iii) the biological treatment of the carbonaceous matter and nitrogenous matter contained in the wastewater, within the treatment device, under aerobic conditions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The wastewater treatment method according to claim 18, in which the biological treatment of the carbonaceous matter and the biological treatment of the nitrogenous matter of stage iii) take place simultaneously. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, in which the wastewater treatment device is a free activated sludge aeration tank. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, in which the wastewater treatment device is in a culture device fixed on a support. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, comprising upstream of the treatment device a stage for evaluating the toxicity of the incoming wastewater vis-à-vis the microorganism. ### Claim 23 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, in which the microorganism is fixed on a support. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, in which the microorganism is fixed alone or in co-culture with one or more microorganisms specialized in the treatment of carbonaceous pollution. ### Claim 25 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, in which the wastewater for treatment contains more than 30 g/l of Kjeldahl nitrogen or ammoniacal nitrogen.