Patent ID: 9327975
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: B01D,C01B,C02F,C12P,Y02C,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A method for obtaining dinitrogen monoxide, the method comprising: stepwise reducing at least one of (a) nitrates and (b) nitrites from substances containing at least one of (a) nitrate and (b) nitrite; at least one of (a) interrupting the stepwise reduction after a stage in which a reduction reaction produces dinitrogen monoxide and (b) limiting the stepwise reduction after the stage in which the reduction reaction produces dinitrogen monoxide; and at least one of (a) separating the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction, (b) capturing the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction, and (c) collecting the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction; wherein the stepwise reducing of the nitrate and/or nitrite to dinitrogen monoxide are catalyzed by metalloenzymes, the metalloenzymes used being nitrate reductase for converting nitrate to nitrite, nitrite reductase for converting the nitrite into nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen monoxide reductase for converting the nitrogen monoxide into dinitrogen monoxide, and wherein to interrupt or limit the reduction reaction of the dinitrogen monoxide to nitrogen, copper ions of the metalloenzyme used for reducing the dinitrogen monoxide are reduced, removed or complexed before and/or during denitrification, wherein to interrupt or limit the reduction reaction of the dinitrogen monoxide to nitrogen, copper ions of the metalloenzyme used for reducing the dinitrogen monoxide are removed from the metalloenzyme by complexing with a complexing agent and/or complexed within the metalloenzyme by complexing with said complexing agent before and/or during denitrification, wherein the complexing agent for removing the copper ions is selected from the group consisting of, sulfonamide-substituted thionoligands, 1-(chloro-3-indazolyl-azo)-2-hydroxy-naphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid-analog ligands and chlorophyll-based ligands.