Biotechnology Institute Co Ltd Japan

The Marine Biotechnology Institute (MBI) was founded in 1987 for the study and applications of biodiversity in marine environments. Currently, and within the scope of the present book, the research area of relevance is industrial applications of microbiology . The institute also performs research in C02 fixation. The Applied Microbiology Laboratory is searching cost-effective utilization of microbes for environmental conservation and restoration. In particular, the decontamination of areas polluted with petroleum-related compounds has been addressed. Attention has been paid to removal of polycyclic hydrocarbons. They are also developing processing methods for the conversion of biomass and organic wastes by methane fermentation. 

Their activities in desulfurization lead to a hybrid process, protected under the title of Method for electrobiologically desulfurizing petroleum [143], awarded to the Marine Biotechnology Institute by the Japanese Patent Office [143], This method is based on contacting anaerobic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria with petroleum under anaerobic condition or microaerophilic conditions. The bacteria used belonged to Proteobacteria or Thiomicrospira bacteria. 

---