Enrichment of Hydrogenotrophic Methanogens in Coupling with Methane Production Using Electrochemical Bioreactor

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 19; no. 12; pp. 1665 - 1671
• Main Authors: Jeon, B.Y., Seokyeong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Kim, S.Y., Seokyeong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Park, Y.K., Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Park, D.H., Seokyeong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Korean Society for Applied Microbiology 01.12.2009; 한국미생물·생명공학회
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Carbon Dioxide - metabolism; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Electrochemical bioreactor; Electrochemical Techniques; Electrodes; ENERGIA SOLAR; ENERGIE SOLAIRE; Euryarchaeota - genetics; Euryarchaeota - growth & development; Euryarchaeota - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen - metabolism; hydrogenotrophic methanogen; Methane - biosynthesis; Methanobacteriaceae - genetics; Methanobacteriaceae - growth & development; Methanobacteriaceae - metabolism; Methanomicrobiales - genetics; Methanomicrobiales - growth & development; Methanomicrobiales - metabolism; Methanosarcinaceae - genetics; Methanosarcinaceae - growth & development; Methanosarcinaceae - metabolism; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Oxidation-Reduction; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sewage - microbiology; SOLAR ENERGY; syntrophism; TGGE; Various methods and equipments; 생물학; Methane; Bioreactor; hydrogenotrophic methanogen; Methanogenic bacteria; TGGE; Solar energy; Production; Electrochemistry; syntrophism; Electrochemical bioreactor
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.0904.04002

Anaerobic digestion sludge was cultivated in an electrochemical bioreactor (ECB) to enrich the hydrogenotrophic methanogens. A modified graphite felt cathode with neutral red (NR-cathode) was charged with electrochemical reducing power generated from a solar cell. The methane and carbon dioxide collected in a Teflon bag from the ECB were more than 80 ml/l of reactant/day and less than 20 ml/l of reactant/day, respectively, whereas the methane and carbon dioxide collected from a conventional bioreactor (CB) was around 40 ml/l of reactant/day, respectively. Moreover, the maximal volume ratios of methane to carbon dioxide (M/C ratio) collected in the Teflon bag from the ECB and CB were 7 and 1, respectively. The most predominant methanogens isolated from the CB on the 20∨th, 80∨th, and 150∨th days of incubation were hydrogenotrophs. The methanogenic diversity analyzed by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) of the 16S rDNA variable region was higher in the ECB than in the CB. The DNA extracted from the TGGE bands was more than 95% homologous with hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the ECB, but was an aceticlastic methanogen in the CB. In conclusion, the ECB was demonstrated as a useful system for enriching hydrogenotrophic methanogens and increasing the M/C ratio of the gas product.