Appeal No. 1997-2755 Application 08/311,426 initiate the oxidation and further dehalogenation of DCE by methanotrophic bacteria. Therefore, Dooley-Danna also fails to describe teach the complete reductive dehalogenation of organic halides. Rather, this reference also requires a second aerobic step to bring about complete dehalogenation, similar to the method of Fathepure. In the Examiner’s Answer (Paper No. 14, April 15, 1996), the examiner argues that Fathepure teaches on page 3420, column 2, last paragraph bridging to page 3421, that trace amounts of dechlorinated products are formed in the anaerobic reactor which reads on the present claims. However, the reference to Fathepure does not “read on the present claims” since as mentioned above, the process disclosed by Fathepure is performed in a two-stage bioreactor, not in situ. In addition, the process taught by Fathepure fails to achieve complete reductive dehalogenation. The portion of the reference cited by the examiner in the Examiner’s Answer states that PCE and CF are converted to dechlorinated products such as cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE) and methylene chloride in the anaerobic stage of the bioreactor. Therefore, these organic halides still contain the halide chlorine after the initial anaerobic stage. Complete reductive dehalogenation as required by the claims on appeal is not achieved in the anaerobic stage of by Fathepure. For all of these reasons, we reverse the examiner’s rejection of claims 1 and 7Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007