Patent ID: 8030041

Claim:
A process for producing pellets in which microorganisms are entrapped and immobilized, the process comprising: polymerizing a mixture containing the microorganisms and a prepolymer in a forming frame into a gel to form a block, the prepolymer being 3 to 10 weight % of the mixture; and cutting the block to form pellets, the cutting comprising: cutting the block into lattices; and then cutting the lattices substantially into cubes to provide pellets, wherein: the forming frame has a ratio V/S of the volume V to the bottom area S of 10 to 100, the forming frame can be closed with a lid, and the block can be compressed to 70% or more of its initial thickness after which the block is broken down if further compressed, and the prepolymer has a molecular weight of 4,000 to 12,000.