Encapsulated biofilm compositions and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025042792-A1
Application number	US-202418748562-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2024
Priority date	Jun 20, 2023
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A biofilm composition includes a biofilm encapsulated within an encapsulant. In one or more embodiments, the biofilm includes a support material and a community of microorganisms. In one or more of these embodiments, the material supporting the biofilm includes biochar or powdered activated carbon. The composition may be used to treat wastewater.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A composition comprising:
a biofilm comprising at least two species of microbes; and an encapsulant encapsulating the biofilm.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the biofilm comprises a support material on which at least a portion of the microbes grow.

3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the support material comprises biochar or powdered activated carbon.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein members of the at least two species of microbes are in sufficient proximity to exchange metabolites.

5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulant includes polyethylene glycol (PEG).

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to consume a component of wastewater.

7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to produce a desirable product.

8 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein the desirable product is methane, hydrogen, a medium chain fatty acid, a lipid, acetate, an alcohol, a hydrocarbon, a polymerizable monomer, or a compound that is a precursor for production of a commercial or industrial chemical.

9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to exchange metabolites with another species of microbe in the biofilm.

10 . A method of treating wastewater, the method comprising contacting wastewater with the composition of claim 1 .

11 . A composition comprising:
a first group of particles, the first group of particles comprising:
a first biofilm encapsulated by a first encapsulant; and
a second group of particles, the second group of particles comprising:
a second biofilm encapsulated by a second encapsulant.

12 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the first group of particles has a different average diameter than the second group of particles.

13 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the first encapsulant is different than the second encapsulant.

14 . A method of treating wastewater, the method comprising contacting wastewater with the composition of claim 11 .

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the wastewater comprises high strength wastewater.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the high strength wastewater comprises brewery wastewater.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein treatment of the wastewater produces methane.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein treatment of the wastewater produces hydrogen gas.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to consume a component of the wastewater.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to produce a desirable product.

21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to exchange metabolites with another species of microbe in the biofilm.

22 . A method of preparing a biofilm composition, the method comprising:
growing a community of microorganisms comprising at least two species of microbes on a biofilm-supporting surface to form a biofilm; and encapsulating the biofilm with an encapsulant.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the biofilm-supporting surface comprises powdered activated carbon or biochar.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to consume a component of wastewater.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to produce a desirable product.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is selected based on its ability to exchange metabolites with another species of microbe in the biofilm.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one species of microbe in the biofilm is anaerobic.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the community of microorganisms in the biofilm produces methane from wastewater.

29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the community of microorganisms in the biofilm produces hydrogen gas from wastewater.

Assignees

• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Novak Paige Jennifer
• Arnold William A
• Gutenberger Gretchen Marie
• Wang Zhiyue
• Borthakur Annesh
• Wright Natasha C
• Chen Siming

Classifications

• C02F3/106

  Carbonaceous materials · CPC title

• C02F3/108

  Immobilising gels, polymers or the like · CPC title

• C02F2003/003

  using activated carbon or the like · CPC title

• C02F3/2806

  Anaerobic processes using solid supports for microorganisms · CPC title

• C02F2103/32

  from the food or foodstuff industry, e.g. brewery waste waters · CPC title