PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of application, amounts, and length of time that poultry manure can be applied to soils without undesirable effects, to develop equipment and techniques for this disposal, and to evaluate the use of soil as a disposal medium for poultry manure. PROCEDURE: This study is a continuation of preliminary work which indicated the feasibility of the plow-furrow-cover method. A laboratory phase, primarily soil respiration studies, and several field experimental phases, will be conducted, using several New Jersey soil types. In the laboratory phase, the ability of the soil to decompose repeated increments of Grant No: SW 00047-01 Fiscal Year 1967 Support: $79,812 waste will be investigated, as will be the factors which prevent a soil from operating indefinitely as a disposal medium. Carbon dioxide evolution will be used as the measure of decomposition. The field studies will be conducted at the University Research Center (Adelphia, New Jersey) and at commercial poultry farms. Plots for manure applications of the plowfurrow-cover studies will contain a 4 x 4 foot test strip for percolation studies. In these test strips, lysimeters will be used to monitor the travel of contaminants from the wastes applied to the soil. This research has received Public Health Service support since December 1966. Title: The Mode of Action of Pectin Enzymes DR. JAMES D. MACMILLAN Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey PURPOSE: To describe and compare the mode of action of various plant and microbial pectinesterases. The studies will indicate if pectin is completely or partially esterfied when originally formed by the plant. Grant No: SW 00049-01 Fiscal Year 1967 Support: $21,577 PROCEDURE: The study involves specific tests to determine if the esterases act in a random or in a linear manner with respect to the polyglactutonide chain. If the enzyme operates linearly as suspected, the direction of the action will be determined in terms of the reducing end of the pectin molecule. Pectinesterase from tomatoes in particular will be investigated, in addition to studies to compare the mode of action of pectinesterases from various plant and microbial sources. As a long-term goal, the structure of naturally-occurring pectins will be examined relative to using pectic enzymes as analytical tools. This research has received Public Health Service support since September 1966. Title: Using Wastes Formed in Vegetable and Cheese Production DR. AMIHUD KRAMER Department of Horticulture University of Maryland College Park, Maryland PURPOSE: To investigate the possibility of utilizing raw food materials ordinarily disposed of by the processing and packaging industries. These nutritious organic liquid and solid wastes amount to millions of tons yearly. Studies will be conducted on tomato wastes and cottage cheese whey, and possibly lima beans, sweet potatoes, and various cheese wastes for their use as new foods or additives to food. PROCEDURES: Wastes from tomato harvesting, processing, and canning will be evaluated by chemical, biological, and nutritional techniques. Ensiling characteristics of seven sub-samples of the entire tomato plants (above ground) will be conducted on representative samples from three eastern factory locations. The silages will be analyzed and used in feeding trials to evaluate their nutri Grant No: SW 00058-01 Fiscal year 1967 Support: $52,404 tional acceptance. Ensiling will consist of sealing fresh, dry, and mixed material in heavy duty polyethelene bags and storing for sixty days. Processing of cottage cheese whey will be investigated to find techniques which can produce economical and palatable additives for human consumption. The whey solids will be concentrated at five moisture levels. The following five methods of drying will be used: Flame drying, spray drying, drum drying, freeze concentration, and reverse osmosis. Other studies will investigate the possible use of whey products in aerobic and anaerobic microbial fermentation to develop condiments and other commercial products. This research has received Public Health Service support since January 1967. Title: Optimal Policies for Solid Waste Collection DR. CORNELIUS W. KRUSE Department of Environmental Health The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland PURPOSE: To study the feasibility and economics of establishing transfer points in waste collection systems of large cities. This is a computer oriented systems-analysis study to devise more efficient use of manpower and equipment which would permit the improvement of sanitary quality. Grant No: SW 00061-01 PROCEDURE: This study would develop information concerning the characteristics of optimal policies for use in urban decisions by engineers and city councils. A mathematical simulation model based on data available from the cities of Baltimore and Tulsa, and from Los Angeles County will be made to 36 36 nomic decision models for solid waste systems constructed. Thus, meaningful comparisons of pipe systems and conventional systems can be made. Major equipment used in this study includes eighty-feet-long loops of pipes of vary ing diameters equipped to ascertain flow rates, pressure losses, density, and high capacity pumps. This research has received Public Health Service support since September 1966. |