Compositions and methods for enhancing paper product degradation
The present invention describes compositions and methods for enhancing biodegradation of paper products after use and disposal.
1 . An article of manufacture comprising a paper composition and an isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium.
2 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said paper composition comprises cellulose, wherein said cellulose is selected from the group consisting of wood cellulose, cotton cellulose, linen cellulose, grass cellulose, rice cellulose, and hemp cellulose.
3 . The article of manufacture of claim 2 , wherein said wood cellulose comprises wood pulp of a tree selected from the group consisting of pine, spruce, cedar, fir, hemlock, larch, cypress, yew, aspen, eucalyptus, and birch.
4 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said paper composition is selected from the group consisting of a paper plate, a paper bag, a cardboard container, a textile, a newspaper, a writing paper or a napkin.
5 . The article of manufacture of claim 4 , wherein said paper bag is a paper grocery bag.
6 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the rate of biodegradation of said paper composition in the presence of said isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium is at least 10% greater than the rate of biodegradation in the absence of said isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium.
7 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans comprises between 1% and 10% by weight of said article of manufacture.
8 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is GBI-30 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6086).
9 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is GBI-20 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6085).
10 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is GBI-40 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6087).
11 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is in the form of a spore.
12 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is in the form of a vegetative cell.
13 . A method for increasing the biodegradation rate of a paper composition comprising applying an isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium to said paper composition.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said applying occurs during a stage of manufacture of said paper composition.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is introduced into a paper paste or paper pulp.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said paper pulp is wood pulp.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is applied onto the surface of a finished paper product.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is spray-dried onto said finished paper product.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the rate of biodegradation of said paper composition in the presence of said isolated Bacillus coagulans is at least 10% greater than the rate of biodegradation in the absence of said isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium.
20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said paper composition is a paper grocery bag.