IP Library Granted Patent US 11,597,688
Granted Patent B1
US 11,597,688 · App. 16/814,539 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Process for making a fully water-soluble granule comprising humic acid and a microbial community composition

Inventor: Kevin Merritt (St. Johns, FL)
Assignee: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
C05F11/08C05F11/02C12N1/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,597,688
App. No.
16/814,539
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Disclosed is a process for making a fully water-soluble granule comprising humic acid and a microbial community composition. Disclosed also is a fully water-soluble granule comprising humic acid and a microbial community composition. Such a granule is useful as an organic aid to crop growth, particularly in applications where solubility is desirable or necessary.

Claims (23)

1. A fully water soluble composite granule comprising:

a homogenous powder, wherein the homogenous powder comprises:

a hydrolyzed humic acid enriched powder extracted from leonardite or humalite with an alkaline mixture and;

a microbial community composition powder comprising a plurality of dormant microbial organisms at a ratio of about 1:100 to about 1:5;

wherein the homogenous powder is granulated to form a fully water soluble composite granule such that at least 95% of the fully water soluble composite granule dissolves within five minutes when the fully water soluble composite granule is submerged in one liter of water at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius;

wherein the fully water soluble composite granule is between about 0.5 mm and about 4.5 mm in diameter.

2. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dormant microbial organisms includes at least one species selected from the group of genera consisting of: Acetobacter, Agrobacterium, Aquifex, Arthrobacter, Azoarcus, Azorhizobium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Burkholderia, Chlorobium, Chloroflexus, Chryseobacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Flavobacterium, Flexibacter, Frankia, Gloeobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Halobacterium, Herbaspirillum, Lactobacillus, Leptonema, Mycobacterium, Paenibacillus, Phyllobacterium, Planctomyces, Pseudomonas, Rhizobia, Rhizobium, Rickettsia, Rhodocyclus, Sinorhizobium, Sphingomonas, Streptomyces, Synechococcus Thermotoga, Thermus , and Trichoderma.

3. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein the microbial community composition powder includes a lyophilized microbial powder.

4. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein the fully water soluble composite granule is between about 0.8 mm and about 2.0 mm in diameter.

5. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein the fully water soluble composite granule is between about 2.1 mm and about 4.0 mm in diameter.

6. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein at least about 99% of the fully water soluble composite granule dissolves within five minutes when the fully water soluble composite granule is submerged in one liter of water at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

7. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein at least about 95% of the fully water soluble composite granule dissolves within one minute when the fully water soluble composite granule is submerged in one liter of water at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

8. The fully water soluble composite granule of claim 1 , wherein at least about 99% of the fully water soluble composite granule dissolves within one minute when the fully water soluble composite granule is submerged in one liter of water at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

9. The fully-water soluble granule of claim 1 , wherein the fully water soluble composite granule has a crush strength between about 0.1 psi to about 4.0 psi.

10. A fully water soluble granule comprising humic acid and a microbial community composition, the fully water soluble granule made by a process comprising:

obtaining a sample of a carbonaceous substance comprising humic acid and one or more other substances;

contacting the sample with an amount of an alkaline mixture, thereby forming an extraction mixture, the extraction mixture consisting essentially of a sludge component, the sludge component comprising, predominantly, the sample, and an extraction component, the extraction component comprising, predominantly, the alkaline mixture;

maintaining the sludge component in contact with the extraction component for a period of time sufficient for the extraction component to become relatively enriched in humic acid and the sludge component to become relatively depleted of humic acid;

separating the sludge component from the extraction component;

drying the extraction component, thereby forming a plurality of humic acid enriched powder particles, wherein the plurality of humic acid enriched particles has a moisture content of about 9% to about 15% and a loose bulk density between about 28 and 49 pounds per cubic feet;

combining the microbial community composition to the plurality of humic acid enriched powder particles, thereby forming a powder combination, wherein the powder combination has a ratio of about 1:100 to 1:5 microbial community composition to the plurality of humic acid enriched powder particles; and

compacting at least a portion of the powder combination under conditions, wherein the at least a portion of the powder combination, as a result of the compacting, are made into a form of a granule;

thereby making a fully water soluble granule comprising humic acid and a microbial community composition, wherein at least 95% of the fully water soluble composite granule dissolves within five minutes when the fully water soluble composite granule is submerged in one liter of water at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2025
From: EAST WEST BANK
To: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 072839/0321 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC; NUTRIAG LTD.
To: BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, LP, AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 072614/0708 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS Recorded Dec 5, 2024
From: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: EAST WEST BANK, AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 069524/0331 →
TERMINATION OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 17, 2023
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 065254/0232 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2023
From: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 063452/0126 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2022
From: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061590/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2022
From: MERRITT, KEVIN
To: HUMIC GROWTH SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061214/0263 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15878773 · Jan 24, 2018
Continuation In Part 14738865 · Jun 13, 2015
Provisional Application 62013789 · Jun 18, 2014