Patent ID: 9499423
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: C02F,Y02W

Claim Text:
1. A method for transforming a target compound within a liquid, comprising: analyzing the liquid to determine liquid chemistry, including the target compound to be transformed and/or removed from the liquid; determining chemical reactions required to transform and/or remove the target compound from the liquid; identifying microorganisms and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation of the target compound and/or remove the target compound from the liquid; conditioning the microorganisms and/or enzymes so as to increase utilization of free electrons, instead of requiring metabolism of nutrients and/or electron donors or electron shuttles, to obtain the energy and/or electrons to effectuate a transformation of the target compound; arranging a plurality of spaced apart electrodes so as to create a free electron field in a treatment area, the electrodes being stable and non-reactive as to the transformation or removal of the target compound; placing high surface area support surfaces within the treatment area and the flow of the liquid; developing a population of the identified and conditioned microorganisms and/or enzymes on the support surfaces within the treatment area and spaced from the electrodes; selecting a voltage and an amperage within a range based on the determined chemical reactions to assist the microorganisms and/or enzymes to perform the removal or transformation of the target compound and being insufficient to reduce or damage the population of microorganisms and/or enzymes, wherein the applied voltage is approximately 5 volts or less and the applied amperage is approximately 2,500 milliamps or less; and applying the selected voltage and amperage to the electrodes to create the free electron field between the electrodes to directly supply electrons to the microorganisms and/or enzymes, so that the electrons are freely available to the microorganisms and/or enzymes to transform the target compound without the need to obtain electrons from metabolism of nutrients and/or electron donors or electron shuttles.