# US 8,569,045 B2 · Water toxicity detecting apparatus and method using sulfur particles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,045 B2 - Document ID: US8569045B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/210,097 - Filed: 2008-09-12 - Published: 2009-03-19 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-14 - Assignees: University-Industry Cooperation Foundation, Kangwon University - Applicants: Sang Eun Oh - Inventors: Sang Eun Oh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569045B2 ## CPC - C12Q 1/04: Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor {(C12Q1/6897 takes precedence)} - C12Q 1/22: Testing for sterility conditions - G01N 33/1866: {using microorganisms} - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Provided are a water toxicity detecting apparatus and a method using sulfur particles. The water toxicity detecting apparatus using sulfur particles includes: a reaction container containing microbes, in which externally-supplied sulfur particles and oxygen are reacted to form sulfate ions by the microbes; a water sample inlet through which a water sample is flown into the reaction container; an air inlet through which an air is flown into the reaction container; a first detection unit which detects pH and electrical conductivity of the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet; a second detection unit which detects pH and electrical conductivity of the water sample containing the sulfate ions generated in the reaction container; a central processing unit which stores data of the ph and electrical conductivity of the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet, adjusts a pumping speed of a pump provided to the water sample inlet and a flow rate of the air, and compares data of the first detection unit with data of the second detection unit to determine presence of toxicity of the water sample; and an outlet through the after-toxicity-test water sample is exhausted from the reaction container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water toxicity detecting apparatus using sulfur particles comprising: a single reaction container containing unrestrained injected microbes accreted on surfaces of externally-supplied sulfur particles, in which the externally-supplied sulfur particles and oxygen are reacted to form sulfate ions by the microbes; a water sample inlet through which an inflow water sample is flown into the single reaction container; an air inlet through which an air is flown into the single reaction container; a first detection unit which is configured to detect only pH and electrical conductivity of the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet; a second detection unit which is configured to detect only pH and electrical conductivity of a water sample containing the sulfate ions generated in the single reaction container; a central processing unit which stores data of the ph and electrical conductivity of the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet, adjusts a pumping speed of a pump provided to the water sample inlet and a flow rate of the air, and compares data of the first detection unit with data of the second detection unit to determine presence of toxicity of the water sample via only differences in pH and electrical conductivity resulting from differences in sulfate ion concentration from the first detection unit and the second detection unit; and an outlet through which an after-toxicity-test water sample is exhausted from the single reaction container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: thermostat unit which maintain the reaction container at a constant temperature; an alarm unit which issues alarm when a detected value of the electrical conductivity in the reaction container deviates from a reference value; and water sampling unit which samples the water for accurate analysis at the same time of the issuing of alarm and stores the sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reaction container is of a continuous type or a batch type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pump which is provided to the water sample inlet to introduce a river water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microbes belong to the genus Thiobacillus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are obligately autotrophic microbes or facultatively autotrophic microbes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the obligately autotrophic microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are one type of species selected from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus albertis, Thiobacillus prosperus, and Thiobacillus thiooxidans or a mixture of two or more types of species thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The water toxicity detecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the facultatively autotrophic microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are one type of species selected from Thiobacillus acidophilus and Thiobacillus cuprinus or a mixture of two or more types of species thereof. ### Claim 9 A water toxicity detecting method using sulfur particles, comprising: introducing the sulfur particles into a single reaction container; injecting unrestrained microbes into the reaction container and activating the microbes, the microbes are accreted on surfaces of the sulfur particles; flowing a water sample into the single reaction container; supplying air to the single reaction container; detecting pH and electrical conductivity of an inflow water sample flown through a water sample inlet; detecting pH and electrical conductivity of a water sample containing sulfate ions generated in the single reaction container; storing data of the pH and electrical conductivity of the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet and adjusting a pumping speed of a pump provided to the water sample inlet and a flow rate of the air supplied to the single reaction container; and determining presence of toxicity of the water sample based on data of changes in only pH and electrical conductivity between the inflow water sample flown through the water sample inlet and the water sample containing sulfate ions generated in the single reaction container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The water toxicity detecting method of claim 9, further comprising: comparing the detected value of electrical conductivity with a reference value and issuing alarm of abnormal water quality if the detected value is less than the reference value; and sampling the water for accurate analysis at the same time of the issuing of alarm and storing the sample. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The water toxicity detecting method of claim 9, wherein the microbes belong to the genus Thiobacillus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The water toxicity detecting method of claim 11, wherein the microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are obligately autotrophic microbes or facultatively autotrophic microbes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The water toxicity detecting method of claim 12, wherein the obligately autotrophic microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are one type of species selected from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus albertis, Thiobacillus prosperus, and Thiobacillus thiooxidans or a mixture of two or more types of species thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The water toxicity detecting method of claim 12, wherein the facultatively autotrophic microbes of the genus Thiobacillus are one type of species selected from Thiobacillus acidophilus and Thiobacillus cuprinus or a mixture of two or more types of species thereof.