Moisture and pH influence methane oxidation and nitrous oxide production in compost biofilters
This study investigates how the initial moisture content and pH of compost influence methane oxidation, nitrous oxide production, and microbial community structure in compost-based biofilters. Compost microcosms were exposed to repeated methane additions under different moisture and pH conditions, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to characterize methanotrophic and nitrogen-cycling microorganisms and their functional genes before and after methane exposure. The study aims to link changes in microbial communities with observed greenhouse gas dynamics and identify conditions that promote methane removal while limiting nitrous oxide formation. These findings are relevant to the development of biologically based treatment systems for dilute methane emissions from agricultural, waste-management, and other sources where conventional methane recovery or combustion is impractical.