Production of Methanol from Methane by EncapsulatedMethylosinus sporium.
Massive reserves of methane (CH₄) remain unexplored as a feedstock for the production of liquid fuels and chemicals, mainly because of the lack of economically suitable and sustainable strategies for selective oxidation of CH₄ to methanol. The present study demonstrates the bioconversion of CH₄ to methanol mediated by Type I methanotrophs, such asMethylomicrobium albumandMethylomicrobium alcaliphilum. Furthermore, immobilization of a Type II methanotroph,Methylosinus sporium, was carried out using different encapsulation methods, employing sodium-alginate (Na-alginate) and silica gel. The encapsulated cells demonstrated higher stability for methanol production. The optimal pH, temperature, and agitation rate were determined to be pH 7.0, 30°C, and 175 rpm, respectively, using inoculum (1.5 mg of dry cell mass/ml) and 20% of CH₄ as a feed. Under these conditions, maximum methanol production (3.43 and 3.73 mM) by the encapsulated cells was recorded. Even after six cycles of reuse, the Na-alginate and silica gel encapsulated cells retained 61.8% and 51.6% of their initial efficiency for methanol production, respectively, in comparison with the efficiency of 11.5% observed in the case of free cells. These results suggest that encapsulation of methanotrophs is a promising approach to improve the stability of methanol production.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Sanjay K S
SK
Patel
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Hoon
JH
Jeong
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Sanjeet
S
Mehariya
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Sachin V
SV
Otari
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Bharat
B
Madan
Department of Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Jung Rim
JR
Haw
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Jung-Kul
JK
Lee
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.|Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Gutian Edible Fungi Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, P.R. China.
Liaoyuan
L
Zhang
Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
In-Won
IW
Kim
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D020581:Methylosinus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D008697:Methane; D000432:Methanol
Methanotroph; Methylosinus sporium; immobilization; methane bioconversion