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Biogas, Bioreactors and Bacterial Methane Oxidation

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Methane Biocatalysis: Paving the Way to Sustainability

Abstract

Pure methane is an energy-rich feedstock used to generate electricity, for domestic heating and cooking and as a vehicle fuel. Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas and is commonly available as the predominant component of natural gas or biogas. Biogas is viewed as a renewable methane supply, and its production and sources are discussed. Capture of this microbially-derived methane is a significant opportunity not only for heat and energy production, but also for its possible conversion to value-added products from methane-oxidising bacteria. Examples of methanotrophs cultured using methane from biogas are discussed, as well as bioreactor choice and provision of gas to the bacteria. Various bioreactor designs are explained in terms of applicability to methanotroph cultivation. Finally, methanotrophs are discussed in the context of two extremes: their use in methane mitigation and bioremediation versus the synthesis of biological products.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    Ilka Madeleine Mühlemeier

  2. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Robert Speight & Peter James Strong

Authors
  1. Ilka Madeleine Mühlemeier
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  2. Robert Speight
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  3. Peter James Strong
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA

    Marina G. Kalyuzhnaya

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Xin-Hui Xing

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Mühlemeier, I.M., Speight, R., Strong, P.J. (2018). Biogas, Bioreactors and Bacterial Methane Oxidation. In: Kalyuzhnaya, M., Xing, XH. (eds) Methane Biocatalysis: Paving the Way to Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74866-5_14

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