Immobilied blue-green algae in sheet form
First Claim
1. A nutrient-producing structure in the form of a sheet, which structure comprises a composite consisting essentially of a substantially water-insoluble support having a surface energy of from about 30 dynes per cm to about 115 dynes per cm to which nitrogen-fixing filamentous blue-green algal heterocyst cells are attached, said support being particulate or fibrous and substantially free of substances which have a significant deleterious effect on the viability of the attached algae, which attached algal heterocyst cells, when allowed to grow in a nitrogen-deficient environment, fix nitrogen at a rate which is substantially greater than that of such cells not so attached.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite structure having a thickness substantially less than its width such as a sheet is prepared which includes a substantially water-insoluble particulate or fibrous support having a surface energy of at least about 30 dynes per cm to which nitrogen-fixing filamentous blue-green algae heterocyst cells are attached. the support does not have a deleterious effect on the attached algae and is preferably cellulosic or a polyoletin such a polypropylene. The structure may contain a first and second layer and have a plurality of raised, three-dimensional shapes over at least a portion of at least one surface. Preparing the composite structure includes contacting the support with blue-green algae to permit the algae to attach to the support by means of heterocyst cells. The attach cells in a nitrogen deficient environment, fix nitrogen at a rate substantially greater than unattached cells, and have agricultural applications.
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Citations
40 Claims
- 1. A nutrient-producing structure in the form of a sheet, which structure comprises a composite consisting essentially of a substantially water-insoluble support having a surface energy of from about 30 dynes per cm to about 115 dynes per cm to which nitrogen-fixing filamentous blue-green algal heterocyst cells are attached, said support being particulate or fibrous and substantially free of substances which have a significant deleterious effect on the viability of the attached algae, which attached algal heterocyst cells, when allowed to grow in a nitrogen-deficient environment, fix nitrogen at a rate which is substantially greater than that of such cells not so attached.
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20. A nutrient-producing structure having a thickness which is substantially less than either its breadth or width, which structure comprises:
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A. a first layer which is a composite consisting essentially of a substantially water-insoluble support having a surface energy of from about 30 dynes per cm to about 115 dynes per cm to which nitrogen-fixing filamentous blue-green algal heterocyst cells are attached, said support being particulate or fibrous and substantially free of substances which have a significant deleterious effect on the viability of the attached algae, which attached algal heterocyst cells, when allowed to grow in a nitrogen-deficient environment, fix nitrogen at a rate which is substantially greater than that of such cells not so attached; and B. a second layer adjacent to and contiguous with at least a portion of one surface of said first layer and attached to said first layer in such a manner as to substantially maintain said second layer adjacent to and contiguous with said first layer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification