SOLUTIONS 4 Introduction

Introduction, Basics and Effects of

LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 Liquids

The LINDROS Solutions 4 Liquids include:

· Solid Solutions 4 Soils / compost / water

· Real Solutions 4 animal range

· Smart Solutions 4 plant range

· LINDROS Probiotic

Introduction

LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 are very high-quality, high-phototrophe EM secondary products with a long shelf life, high levels of beneficial microbial inoculant activity and high levels of antioxidants and related deodorizing substances. Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 products offer live beneficial microbes as microbial inoculant cultures, contains high levels of antioxidants and related energy compounds and contain key minerals and trace elements needed to nourish these microbes and beneficial wild microbes found in the environment. Properly used, relatively tiny amounts of Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 microbial products and nutrient technology can yield the following effects:

Ponds, streams and other bodies of water:

	drastically reduce odours from imbalances, decaying material or nutrient overload
	drastically reduce ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other sulfide gases
	reduce BOD
	improved dissolved oxygen (DO) level
	reduce phosphate levels
	reduce nitrate levels
	reduce levels of sludge, including old sludge build-up
	reduce levels of many toxins
	reduce levels of pathogenic microbes in waste streams
	reduce levels of highly toxic polyvalent forms of toxic metals such as chromate, aka Chromium IV

reduction of flies and mosquitoes

Soils and crop agriculture, if applied to soil and to organic inputs impacting positively on run-off water:

	drastically reduce odours from imbalances, decaying material or nutrient overload
	drastically reduce ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other sulfide gases
	reduce excessive COD and BOD levels

	improve oxygenation of soil by improving dissolved oxygen (DO) levels
	reduce levels of many toxins
	reduce excessive phosphate levels
	reduce excessive nitrate levels
	reduce levels of highly toxic polyvalent forms of toxic metals such as chromate, aka Chromium IV

Waste streams (including sewage):

	drastically reduce odour
	drastically reduce ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other sulfide gases
	reduce COD
	reduce BO
	improved dissolved oxygen (DO) levels
	reduce levels of many toxins
	reduce phosphate levels
	reduce nitrate levels
	reduce levels of sludge, including old sludge build up
	reduce levels of toxic substances in recovered solids and in recovered water
	reduce levels of highly toxic polyvalent forms of toxic metals such as chromate, aka Chromium IV
	reduce levels of pathogenic microbes in waste streams and also often yield numerous other benefits as well, often reducing treatment and disposal costs.
	increase nutrient value of recovered solids intended for use as bio-fertilizer
	reduction of flies and mosquitoes around waste stream or compost

The exact benefits in a particular situation will often be difficult to predict from afar, due to the multitude of variables encountered in any real-world situation and the handling methods employed. This document will examine briefly some of the mechanisms via which this beneficial microbial technology reduces levels of pathogenic microbes in the targeted environment. Much as noted earlier regarding specific benefits, due to the extreme multitude of variables in a particular waste stream, and the ranges over which these variables may vary, it can be difficult to describe or predict all of the major pathways via which the LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 range may effect reductions in pathogenic microbes.

A glossary of terms used herein may be found at the end of the document.

Mechanisms of Action for LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4

Background

In many targeted environments, particularly those which have been treated with ozidizers, the presence of odour (including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide), high COD, high BOD and large quantities of pathogenic microbes is due to overabundance of foodstuffs which support the growth of undesirable microbes and the concomitant production of toxic and odoriferous compounds by these microbes, and to the following related (and often causative) factors:

	Insufficient presence or total absence of the appropriate microbes which can digest the biomass in a safe and efficient manner
	Absence or deficiency of key nutrients, minerals and trace elements needed to allow beneficial and appropriate microbes to multiply and propagate in the waste material to allow digestion
	Presence of substances which are rather toxic to beneficial microbes and thus inhibit or entirely halt their growth; these toxic substances can include powerful oxidants, toxic oxyanions of heavy metals, and toxic organic products of putrefaction
	Extremely low DO and high BOD and COD, which further limit those beneficial microbes which are obligate aerobes or facultative aerobes, and which will encourage undesirable putrefactive microbes.
	Over-proliferation of undesirable aerobic and anaerobic microbes, which not only out-compete beneficial microbes, but which create an environment inhospitable to most beneficial microbes.
	Notable absence of microbes which might digest the pathogenic microbes and which might provide competitive exclusion

Basics of LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 Technology

Please remember that a glossary of terms used herein may be found at the end of the document.

The basic LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 technology is a mixed synergistic and metabiotic microbial consortium consisting of at least 20 naturally occurring and beneficial microbes from across at least three genera. This beneficial and metabiotic microbial consortium can function effectively in a wide range of aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and across a wide range of pH. Many of the microbes in the consortium exhibit pronounced antioxidative (aka reducing) and syntropic (aka negentropic) effects, performing microbial reduction (as in oxidation-reduction) and also producing numerous reducing (aka antioxidative) compounds which have marked effects upon many substances found in waste streams. These latter compounds also exhibit massive deodorizing effect, due largely to their chemical reducing action, as most undesirable odours are caused by oxidative compounds which are readily neutralized by the antioxidative compounds found in LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4.

It is important to note that several products in the LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 range, particularly some which are frequently used in waste and sludge treatment, such as LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquid, contain not merely the beneficial microbial consortium in a propagatable culture, but rather also contain a number of substances which are highly important in helping the microbial consortium to propagate and to become established in waste media; some of these special substances are:

Minerals and trace elements -- these help to nourish the beneficial LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 microbes and other beneficial naturally-occurring wild microbes which will eventually form an even larger synergistic and metabiotic consortium in the waste stream.
Nutrients and trace nutrients, including selected carbon sources which selectively nourish the beneficial LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 microbes and other beneficial naturally-occurring wild microbes which will eventually form an even larger synergistic and metabiotic consortium in the waste stream.
Organic antioxidative (aka reducing) substances such as quinones, anthocyanins, polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids – these were produced largely via Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 microbial fermentation under controlled conditions, and help to not only neutralize many toxic and noxious substances (including gases) found in waste, but also help to create in the waste stream a beneficial environment where the Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 microbial consortium may become quickly established and assure competitive advantage over undesirable (e.g., putrefactive or pathogenic) microbes.
“Electron shuttles” and “electron relay” substances carriers such as quinones, ubiquinone, ATP, NADH, bacteriochlorophylls, microbial cytochromes, etc.; these assist in drastically shifting the chemistry and microbial balance of the waste stream and solids.
Unique soluble organic electron-shuttling compounds which enable catalytic conversion of oxidative toxins, commonly found in sludge, via facilitated reduction (redox) reactions. This allows breakdown by reduction (redox) of many toxic and hard-to-remediate substances which can ordinarily become problematic in waste streams. Some common electron shuttles or electron relays are quiniones, ubiquinone (COQ10), soluble microbial humic substances and certain organic acids such as malic acid and malates.
Reducing agents, including low molecular weight and very low molecular weight antioxidants, including simple dielectric anionic hydrides and atomic hydrogen, both of which offer strong reducing (redox) power for neutralization of hard-to-remediate substances often found in waste streams. The presence of these simple dielectric anionic hydrides and atomic hydrogen (the latter produced by some of the phototrophic microbes in LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 products) may often be evidenced by downward shifts toward the reducing range of measures such as ORP (oxidation reduction potential) and the relative hydrogen score (aka rH2 or rH score, computed from pH and ORP) of waste liquids. These substances act as powerful reducing agents to reduce oxidative toxic substances and break up clumped bulked sediment consisting largely of acidic oxidative end-products.

It is worth noting the beneficial microbes in LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 also produce considerable quantities of the above-named substances listed in numbered list items #3 through #6 as the microbes propagate in the waste stream and sludge; these nutrients, factors and co-factors are a very important vehicle for many of the changes rendered by these LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 products.

Typical Primary and Secondary Mechanisms of Pathogen Reduction

This section will delineate some of the most common primary and secondary mechanisms of pathogen reduction by regular inoculation of the targeted environment with LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids.

Primary modalities will usually include:

	Gross modification of wastewater via reduction of COD, BOD, ammonia, sulfides, mercaptans, aldehydes, phosphate levels and nitrate levels, and increase in DO, leading to an environment inhospitable to many pathogens
	Modification of environmental factors such as redox potential (ORP), pH, relative hydrogen score (rH2), levels of nutrient minerals and trace elements, relative position of wastewater microenvironment along aerobic-anaerobic spectrum
	Biotransformation of foodstuffs which would otherwise have served as nutrients for undesirable microbes via digestion and chemical reduction (redox reaction)
	Microbial competitive exclusion via competition for food sources and establishment of dominance by dominant species of microbes, offering entrainment of many other wild microbe species present, partly via nurturance and metabiotic activity and partially via the effects of microbial quorum sensing

Secondary modalities will usually include:

	Modification of microenvironment via minerals, trace elements and reducing (antioxidative) compounds found in Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 liquid and reducing compounds (i.e., polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, arotenoids, uibquinone, very low molecular weight hydrogen-based antioxidants) produced by the beneficial microbes found in Lindros SOLUTIONS 4 liquid when growing in the waste stream.
	Providing foodstuffs and environment conducive to growth of beneficial microbes, and manipulating nutrients and microenvironment to provide suboptimal conditions for survival of pathogenic microbes.

Storage and Evaluating Your Batch of LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4

Storage

LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids must always be stored in plastic containers and there should be some way of allowing pressure differences (due to offgassing or to negative gas pressures, both of which may occur) to equalize.

Do not store LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids in glass or other rigid containers which may shatter or explode if some pressure builds up due to offgassing or due to negative pressures in the container. If you must store LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids in a glass or other rigid container, then you must employ a failsafe two-way airlock or vent for safety reasons.

Always store LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids in a cool place, preferably from 40F to 80F. The range of 43F to 60F is best, the range of 40F to 90 F is okay, and the range of 34F to 98 F is acceptable.

LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids must be stored anaerobically, that is, away from air. It should ideally be stored with as little airspace as possible above the surface of the liquid. A container which is filled from 90% to 100% of liquid capacity will have little airspace above the liquid, and this is optimal for lengthy storage of LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4. On the other hand, if a container of LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 is stored with a large volume airspace, such as a container which is only 30% full, leaving 70% dead airspace above the liquid, this is less than ideal, and the shelf life of the liquid may be shortened. As noted above, an airlock or a 2-way pressure vent cap may be used to exclude fresh air but allow pressure equalization in the face of off-gassing (pressure buildup) or negative pressures in the container.

Shelf Life

For its beneficial microbial inoculant properties, LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids will usually have an effective shelf life of at least 6 to 8 months from the date of bottling. After this point, the microbial inoculant properties will decrease somewhat, but the powerful antioxidant and deodorizing properties of LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquids will usually remain powerful and effective for an additional 1.5 to 2 years or longer, if the liquid is properly stored anaerobically (away from fresh air.)

Glossary and Endnote

Glossary of Terms

A few terms which will be encountered in this document may be a bit foreign to anyone but a chemist or microbiologist, and thus we offer a brief glossary of terms to ensure that all readers understand the meaning of terms as they are used herein. The glossary follows:

Antioxidant – The term “antioxidant” is a term which indicates that a substance has chemical reducing power, where reduction is the opposite of oxidation, and where the reducing substance donates an electron or hydrogen atom to an atom, molecule or ion. An antioxidant is therefore the opposite of an oxidizer, and an antioxidant is a substance which has the ability to neutralize or destroy oxidized substances and oxidant radicals, also sometimes known as reactive oxygen species (aka ROS). Further, some antioxidants, in some situations, have the ability to reverse the damage caused to organic molecules by oxidants (aka ROS). Antioxidants, as noted above, are actually a part of a larger family of substances called reducing agents, all of which neutralize oxidized substances or oxidant radicals. Usually, particular reducing agents, which are useful in the fields of human or animal nutrition, or in industry (e.g, prevention of corrosion, preservation of plastics, etc.) are called antioxidants.

Consortium -- see section entitled microbial consortium

Disproportionation reactions – disproprotionation reaction are those in which a substance (usually a molecule or ion) is simultaneously oxidized and reduced, thus changing it considerably. Because of the bi-directional and simultaneous nature of this exchange, such reactions are usually considered to be in a realm beyond traditional redox reactions.

Metabiotic -- A metabiotic microorganism creates environmental conditions that favor the survival and growth of certain other microbes, and thus it cooperates with certain other microbes. A metabitotic relationship is one in which two or more species of microbes create conditions which nurture and support growth of each other, which is a type of synergy, often forming a relatively stable and robust microbial consortium. Thus, a metabiotic consortium (or aggregate) is a community of microbes which are mutually supportive and adaptive.

Microbial consortium -- Historians of science, as well as those who study the philosophy of science have noticed that biologists for much of the past two hundred years had tended to look at micro organisms only as single species at a time, and it was therefore (mistakenly) assumed by many in science that this was how they usually functioned in nature, as independent single species. It has been only quite recently that biologists have come to understand that this earlier assumption of "individualist" species and colonies was a gross misconception, and that most species of micro organisms are found in nature not alone, but rather as part of a cluster or aggregate of from nine to about 35 (sometimes far fewer and sometimes far more) synergistic species, which biologists have started to call by the name microbial consortium (or consortia, as some authors use it, depending upon plurality.)

ORP -- ORP, aka oxidation-reduction potential, shows relative degree of oxidative power or reductive (antioxidant) power of a liquid. ORP is measured with a special probe and an ORP meter on a scale of +1,200 millivolts (mv.) to –1,200 mv., where a score of 1,200 indicates maximal oxidative ability and no reductive (antioxidant) ability, and where a score of –1,200 indicates maximal reducing (antioxidant) capability. However, since true hydrogen and reducing power is influenced strongly by pH as well, ORP alone is only a rough and relative indicator of true oxidative or reducing (aka antioxidative) power of a liquid, and relative hydrogen score (aka rH or rH2 or RH), computed from pH and ORP, is a far more accurate indicator; please see section entitled relative hydrogen score.

Oxidation – This term comes from the fields of chemistry and biochemistry, and literally means the opposite of reduction. Oxidation means the removal of an electron from an atom, molecule or ion by an oxidizer or oxidant substance. Oxidation, in effect, reverses reduction, and oxidation usually results in breakdown of organic materials and of complex substances, sometimes yielding toxic or foul-smelling compounds. For a bit of perspective, oxidation and reduction reactions are quite common in chemistry and biochemistry, likely second only to acid-base reactions, and are often referenced via the shorthand term of “redox reactions”.

Oxidizer -- An oxidizer, aka an oxidant, is a substance which aggressively tries to steal electrons from another substance, often damaging substances or living tissues in the process, thus resulting in a lower energy state and lower state of complexity and structure, which is also known as increased entropy. Please see sections on oxidative free radicals and reactive oxygen species (aka ROS) as well. Oxidizers may be neutralized, and further, the damage which they wreaked may sometimes be reversed by, substances known as reducing agents, which, if useful in the field of human or animal nutrition, are often called antioxidants.

LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 -- LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 is a shorthand term for a microbial consortium (mixed culture) consisting of synergistic, metabiotic, antioxidative, syntropic microbes from at least three different genera, and more often six or more genera -- and always containing purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB), aka phototrophic organisms; the culture technology is usually used in fermentation, agriculture and waste management, but also in other settings as well. Many LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 products also contain various nutrients and trace nutrients as well.

pH -- pH indicates relative degree of alkalinity or acidity of a liquid. Scale is semi-logarithmic, and runs from 0 to 14, where 7 indicates neutral, a score below 7 indicates acidity, and a score above 7 indicates alkalinity; 0 indicates maximum acidity, and 14 indicates maximum alkalinity.

Phototrophic micro organisms -- Phototrophic micro organisms are microbes which are photosynthetic, which can use sunlight to produce energy and energy compounds. All LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 cultures contain at least 2 or 3 species of phototrophic organisms, usually from the extremely powerful and versatile and near-magical Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria (PNSB) family, a family of soil-based and pond-based microbes commonly found in nature in soils, in ponds, on green leaves, in pitcher plants, and in icicles and other ice formations in the wild. These organisms are not obligate phototrophes, and can also consume organic material and even inorganic chemicals in anaerobic and even aerobic conditions. See also section in Glossary on Purple non-sulfur bacteria.

PNSB -- PNSB is an abbreviation used for the purple non-sulfur bacteria, an essential class of organisms found in the LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 consortium culture, and the heart of the culture. Most LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 cultures contain at least 2 or 3 species of PNSB.

Purple non-sulfur bacteria -- Purple non-sulfur bacteria, aka PNSB, are a family of phototrophic microbes which seem to possess powerful and interesting energy and antioxidative effects; an essential class of organisms found in LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 culture, and the heart of the culture. Most LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 cultures contain at least 2 or 3 species of PNSB, a family of soil-based and pond-based microbes commonly found in nature in soils, in ponds, on green leaves, in pitcher plants, and in icicles and other ice formations in the wild.

Redox reactions -- Oxidation and reduction reactions are a means via which substances may be modified in chemical form. These reactions are quite common in chemistry and biochemistry, likely second only to acid-base reactions, and are often referenced via the shorthand term of “redox reactions”.

Reducing compound or reducing agent -- A reducing agent is a substance which neutralizes oxidative radicals, aka reactive oxygen species (ROS), and, if a reducing agent is useful in the field of human or animal nutrition, it is often called an antioxidant. Not all reducing agents known to science are useful antioxidants for life forms such as humans and animals, and so it may be said that not all reducing agents are effective antioxidants, but it is true that all antioxidants may function as reducing agents. Please see antioxidant section as well. LINDROS SOLUTIONS 4 liquid contains large amounts of antioxidants.

Reduction – while the word “reduction” in normal everyday usage will usually mean to decrease the quantity of some factor or measure, the term “reduction” has a more specialized meaning in the fields of chemistry and biochemistry, and literally means the opposite of oxidation. Thus, where oxidation means the removal of an electron from an atom, molecule or ion by an oxidizer or oxidant substance, reduction is the donation of an electron, or more precisely, the donation to an atom, molecule or ion of an electron or a hydrogen atom or a negatively-charged hydrogen atom. Reduction, in effect, reverses oxidation, and can often neutralize highly oxidized compounds. As a matter of note, all substances which are called “antioxidants” are reducing agents. For a bit of perspective, oxidation and reduction reactions are quite common in chemistry and biochemistry, likely second only to acid-base reactions, and are often referenced via the shorthand term of “redox reactions”.

Reductive agent or reductive compound -- please see reducing compound

Relative hydrogen score, aka rH2 or rH score -- Relative hydrogen score, also known as rH2 or RH score, is a score proposed by Clark in 1923, derived from the Nernst equation, which expresses true hydrogen concentration/power in a liquid far more accurately than ORP alone. rH score is computed from pH and ORP, and rH scores run from 0 to 42, where 28 is midpoint, scores approaching 42 indicate maximal oxidative power, and a score approaching 0 indicates maximal reducing or antioxidative power. RH score is often employed in various sectors of the beer brewing industry, in the high-end aquarium world and in the food industry (esp. bottling of juices, etc.) to indicate relative oxidative damage to a liquid product versus relative reducing power (aka antioxidant protection) levels in such a product