# US 8,785,167 B2 · Biocompatible article for the treatment of water and production of energy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,167 B2 - Document ID: US8785167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/116,617 - Filed: 2011-05-26 - Published: 2011-12-01 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-27 - Assignees: The Johns Hopkins University - Applicants: Richard S. Potember; Jennifer L. Breidenich; Julia B. Patrone - Inventors: Richard S. Potember; Jennifer L. Breidenich; Julia B. Patrone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785167B2 ## CPC - C12N 11/082: obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds - C02F 3/108: {Immobilising gels, polymers or the like} - C12N 11/06: attached to the carrier via a bridging agent - C12N 11/10: the carrier being a carbohydrate - Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - 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) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A biocompatible article including (a) a biocompatible hydrogel; (b) an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (c) one or more organisms adhered to at least a portion of the adhesive coating is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A biocompatible article, comprising: (a) a biocompatible hydrogel; (b) an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (c) one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria adhered to at least a portion of the adhesive coating. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible hydrogel comprises poly(vinyl alcohol). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible hydrogel comprises a polymer derived from chitin or chitosan. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the adhesive coating is derived from a bio-adhesive agent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The biocompatible article of claim 4, wherein the bio-adhesive agent comprises fibronectin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The biocompatible article of claim 4, wherein the adhesive coating is attached to the hydrogel through a coupling agent which is bound to an outer surface of the hydrogel and to the bio-adhesive agent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the adhesive coating comprises at least one polyelectrolyte layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The biocompatible article of claim 7, wherein the at least one polyelectrolyte layer possesses a positive charge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria comprise a Synechococcusspecies of cyanobacteria or a Synechocystisspecies of cyanobacteria. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The biocompatible article of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible article can be rolled-up in a dehydrated state. ### Claim 11 A biocompatible article, comprising: (a) a biocompatible hydrogel comprising poly(vinyl alcohol); (b) an adhesive coating comprising fibronectin on at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (c) one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria adhered to at least a portion of the adhesive coating. ### Claim 12 A process for preparing a biocompatible article, the process comprising (a) providing a biocompatible hydrogel; (b) applying an adhesive coating to at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (c) adhering one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria to at least a portion of the adhesive coating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the biocompatible hydrogel comprises a poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process of claim 13, wherein the adhesive coating comprises fibronectin having one or more reactive functionalities and the organism is cyanobacteria. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14, wherein the step of applying the adhesive coating to at least a portion of the hydrogel comprises (i) converting one or more hydroxyl groups of the poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel to one or more carboxylic acid groups; (ii) converting the one or more carboxylic acid groups to one or more N-acylimidazole groups; (iii) converting the one or more N-acylimidazole groups to one or more activated acid groups; and (iv) attaching the one or more reactive functionalities of the fibronectin to the activated acid groups of the poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process of claim 15, comprising (i) reacting a bromoalkanoic acid with the one or more hydroxyl groups of the poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel to provide one or more carboxylic acid groups; (ii) reacting carbonyl diimidazole with the one or more carboxylic acid groups to provide one or more N-acylimidazole groups; (iii) reacting an amine group of the formula R-NH2 wherein R is a C1-C20 hydrocarbon group with the one or more N-acylimidazole groups to provide one or more activated acid groups; and (iv) reacting the one or more reactive functionalities of the fibronectin to the activated acid groups of the poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the biocompatible hydrogel comprises a polymer derived from chitin or chitosan. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the step of applying the adhesive coating to at least a portion of the hydrogel comprises applying a polyelectrolyte layer to at least a portion of the hydrogel, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer possesses a positive charge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer is polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (PDDA+). ### Claim 20 A method for the production of energy comprising (a) providing a biocompatible article comprising (i) a biocompatible hydrogel; (ii) an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (iii) one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria adhered to at least a portion of the adhesive coating; and (b) exposing the biocompatible article to one or more environmental conditions sufficient to allow the organisms to produce a measurable amount of energy. ### Claim 21 A method for the treatment of water comprising (a) providing a biocompatible article comprising (i) a biocompatible hydrogel; (ii) an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the hydrogel; and (iii) one or more organisms comprising cyanobacteria adhered to at least a portion of the adhesive coating; and (b) contacting the biocompatible article with a water source containing a sufficient amount of impurities for a suitable time to reduce the amount of impurities therein.