Appeal 2007-2235
Application 10/138,617
Appellant separates the claims rejected under § 103 into three groups
for argument: (1) claims 1, 2, 5, 14, and 22; (2) claims 7, 20, 21, and 24; and
(3) claim 18 (Br. 5).1 Claims 1, 7, and 18 are therefore representative of the
appealed rejections and read as follows:
1. A method for removing biodegradable gaseous pollutants
from contaminated gases, the method comprising:
permeating said contaminated gases into a 1000 ton or
more tonnage landfill waste mass, wherein said gaseous
pollutants comprise nitrogen oxides, including one or more of
nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide
(NO2); and
maintaining said waste mass such that microorganisms
present in said waste mass biodegrade said gaseous pollutants
to substantially reduce said nitrogen oxides to N2.
7. A method for removing biodegradable gaseous pollutants
from contaminated gases, the method comprising:
permeating said contaminated gases into a landfill of at
least 1000 tons in landfill mass;
measuring oxygen consumption in said landfill;
providing an aqueous amendment to said landfill at a
volume of from 50 to 120 ml water per gram atomic weight of
oxygen consumed in the landfill; and
maintaining said landfill such that microorganisms
present in said landfill substantially reduce said gaseous
contaminants.
18. The method according to claim 7, wherein said landfill
comprises at least 40 hours detention time for said
contaminated gases.
Thus, claim 1 is directed to a method of removing biodegradable
gaseous pollutants from gases contaminated with nitrous oxide, nitric oxide,
1 Appeal Brief filed August 23, 2006.
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