Characterization of tobermolite as a bed material for selective growth of methanotrophs in biofiltration.
Tobermolite was characterized as a bed material for methanotrophic biofiltration. A lab-scale biofilter packed with tobermolite was operated for different operation times under identical conditions. The three different runs showed similar acclimation patterns of methane oxidation, with methane removal efficiency increasing rapidly for the first few days and peaking within three weeks, after which the efficiency remained stable. The mean methane removal capacities ranged from 766gm(-3)d(-1) to 974gm(-3)d(-1) after acclimation. Pyrosequencing indicated that the methanotrophic proportion (methanotroph/bacteria) increased to 71-94% within three weeks. Type I methanotrophs Methylocaldum and Methylosarcina were dominant during the initial growth period, then Methylocaldum alone dominated the methanotrophic community. A community comparison showed that total bacterial and methanotrophic communities were temporally stable after the initial growth period. Quantitative PCR showed that methanotrophic density increased during the first 3-4 weeks, then remained stable over 120 days. Tobermolite can provide a special habitat for the selective growth of methanotrophs, resulting in rapid acclimation. Tobermolite also allows the microbial community and methanotrophic density to remain stable, resulting in stable methane biofiltration.
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea.
Tae Gwan
TG
Kim
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea.
So-Yeon
SY
Jeong
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kscho@ewha.ac.kr.
Kyung-Suk
KS
Cho
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017640:Silicates / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D017640:Silicates; C512534:tobermorite; D008697:Methane
Biofilter; Methane; Methanotrophs; Selective growth; Tobermolite