Anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to thiosulfate reduction in a biotrickling filter.
Microorganisms from an anaerobic methane oxidizing sediment were enriched with methane gas as the substrate in a biotrickling filter (BTF) using thiosulfate as electron acceptor for 213days. Thiosulfate disproportionation to sulfate and sulfide were the dominating sulfur conversion process in the BTF and the sulfide production rate was 0.5mmoll-1day-1. A specific group of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), belonging to the Desulforsarcina/Desulfococcus group, was enriched in the BTF. The BTF biomass showed maximum sulfate reduction rate (0.38mmoll-1day-1) with methane as sole electron donor, measured in the absence of thiosulfate in the BTF. Therefore, a BTF fed with thiosulfate as electron acceptor can be used to enrich SRB of the DSS group and activate the inoculum for anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction.
UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands.
Chiara
C
Cassarini
UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.raj@unesco-ihe.org.
Eldon R
ER
Rene
UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands.
Susma
S
Bhattarai
University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Esposito
UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands.
Piet N L
PNL
Lens
D019149:Bioreactors; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013431:Sulfates; D016999:Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria; D013885:Thiosulfates
D013431:Sulfates; D013885:Thiosulfates; D008697:Methane
Anaerobic methane oxidation; Biotrickling filter; Sulfate reducing bacteria; Sulfide production; Thiosulfate disproportionation