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Rodero MDR, Pérez V, Muñoz R. Optimization of methane gas-liquid mass transfer during biogas-based ectoine production in bubble column bioreactors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121811. [PMID: 39002456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Nowadays, the utilization of biogas for energy generation is hindered by the declining production costs of solar and wind power. A shift towards the valorization of biogas into ectoine, a highly valuable bioproduct priced at 1000 €⸱kg-1, offers a novel approach to fostering a more competitive biogas market while contributing to carbon neutrality. This study evaluated the optimization of CH4 gas-liquid mass transfer in 10 L bubble column bioreactors for CH4 conversion into ectoine and hydroxyectoine using a mixed methanotrophic culture. The influence of the empty bed residence time (EBRTs of 27, 54, and 104 min) at different membrane diffuser pore sizes (0.3 and 0.6 mm) was investigated. Despite achieving CH4 elimination capacities (CH4-ECs) of 10-12 g⸱m-3⸱h-1, an EBRT of 104 min mediated CH4 limitation within the cultivation broth, resulting in a negligible biomass growth. Reducing the EBRT to 54 min entailed CH4-ECs of 21-24 g⸱m-3⸱h-1, concomitant to a significant increase in biomass growth (up to 0.17 g⸱L⸱d-1) and reaching maximum ectoine and hydroxyectoine accumulation of 79 and 13 mg⸱gVSS-1, respectively. Conversely, process operation at an EBRT of 27 min lead to microbial inhibition, resulting in a reduced biomass growth of 0.09 g⸱L⸱d-1 and an ectoine content of 47 mg⸱gVSS-1. While the influence of diffuser pore size was less pronounced compared to EBRT, the optimal process performance was observed with a diffuser pore size of 0.6 mm.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Rosario Rodero
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering. University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., 47011, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Víctor Pérez
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering. University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., 47011, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Raúl Muñoz
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering. University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., 47011, Valladolid, Spain.
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2
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Huang D, Chen Y, Bai X, Zhang R, Chen Q, Wang N, Xu Q. Methane removal efficiencies of biochar-mediated landfill soil cover with reduced depth. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 355:120487. [PMID: 38422848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Biochar amendment for landfill soil cover has the potential to enhance methane removal efficiency while minimizing the soil depth. However, there is a lack of information on the response of biochar-mediated soil cover to the changes in configuration and operational parameters during the methane transport and transformation processes. This study constructed three biochar-amended landfill soil covers, with reduced soil depths from 75 cm (C2) to 55 cm (C3) and 45 cm (C4), and the control group (C1) with 75 cm and no biochar. Two operation phases were conducted under two soil moisture contents and three inlet methane fluxes in each phase. The methane removal efficiency increased for all columns along with the increase in methane flux. However, increasing moisture content from 10% to 20% negatively influenced the methane removal efficiency due to mass transfer limitation when at a low inlet methane flux, especially for C1; while this adverse effect could be alleviated by a high flux. Except for the condition with low moisture content and flux combination, C3 showed comparable methane removal efficiency to C2, both dominating over C1. As for C4 with only 45 cm, a high moisture content combined with a high methane flux enabled its methane removal efficiency to be competitive with other soil depths. In addition to the geotechnical reasons for gas transport processes, the evolution in methanotroph community structure (mainly type I methanotrophs) induced by biochar amendment and variations in soil properties supplemented the biological reasons for the varying methane removal efficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Huang
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China; School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 0020518107, China
| | - Yuke Chen
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xinyue Bai
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Rujie Zhang
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qindong Chen
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiyong Xu
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Kang NK, Chau THT, Lee EY. Engineered methane biocatalysis: strategies to assimilate methane for chemical production. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 85:103031. [PMID: 38101295 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4), one of the greenhouse gases, is considered a promising feedstock for the biological production of fuels and chemicals. Although recent studies have demonstrated the capability of methanotrophs to convert CH4 into various bioproducts by metabolic engineering, the productivity has not reached commercial levels. As such, there is a growing interest in synthetic methanotrophic systems as an alternative. This review summarizes the strategies for enhancing native CH4 assimilation and discusses the challenges for the construction of synthetic methanotrophy into nonmethanotrophic industrial strains. Additionally, we suggest a mixed heterotrophic approach that integrates CH4 assimilation with glucose and xylose metabolism to improve productivity. The synthetic methanotrophic system presented in this review could pave the way for sustainable and efficient biomanufacturing using CH4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Kyu Kang
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, 17104 Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Tin Hoang Trung Chau
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, 17104 Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Eun Yeol Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, 17104 Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
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Woern C, Grossmann L. Microbial gas fermentation technology for sustainable food protein production. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108240. [PMID: 37647973 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The development of novel, sustainable, and robust food production technologies represents one of the major pillars to address the most significant challenges humanity is going to face on earth in the upcoming decades - climate change, population growth, and resource depletion. The implementation of microfoods, i.e., foods formulated with ingredients from microbial cultivation, into the food supply chain has a huge potential to contribute towards energy-efficient and nutritious food manufacturing and represents a means to sustainably feed a growing world population. This review recapitulates and assesses the current state in the establishment and usage of gas fermenting bacteria as an innovative feedstock for protein production. In particular, we focus on the most promising representatives of this taxon: the hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (hydrogenotrophs) and the methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs). These unicellular microorganisms can aerobically metabolize gaseous hydrogen and methane, respectively, to provide the required energy for building up cell material. A protein yield over 70% in the dry matter cell mass can be reached with no need for arable land and organic substrates making it a promising alternative to plant- and animal-based protein sources. We illuminate the holistic approach to incorporate protein extracts obtained from the cultivation of gas fermenting bacteria into microfoods. Herein, the fundamental properties of the bacteria, cultivation methods, downstream processing, and potential food applications are discussed. Moreover, this review covers existing and future challenges as well as sustainability aspects associated with the production of microbial protein through gas fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Woern
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Lutz Grossmann
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
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Rodero MDR, Carmona-Martínez AA, Martínez-Fraile C, Herrero-Lobo R, Rodríguez E, García-Encina PA, Peña M, Muñoz R. Ectoines production from biogas in pilot bubble column bioreactors and their subsequent extraction via bio-milking. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120665. [PMID: 37801795 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite the potential of biogas from waste/wastewater treatment as a renewable energy source, the presence of pollutants and the rapid decrease in the levelized cost of solar and wind power constrain the use of biogas for energy generation. Biogas conversion into ectoine, one of the most valuable bioproducts (1000 €/kg), constitutes a new strategy to promote a competitive biogas market. The potential for a stand-alone 20 L bubble column bioreactor operating at 6% NaCl and two 10 L interconnected bioreactors (at 0 and 6% NaCl, respectively) for ectoine production from biogas was comparatively assessed. The stand-alone reactor supported the best process performance due to its highest robustness and efficiency for ectoine accumulation (20-52 mgectoine/gVSS) and CH4 degradation (up to 84%). The increase in N availability and internal gas recirculation did not enhance ectoine synthesis. However, a 2-fold increase in the internal gas recirculation resulted in an approximately 1.3-fold increase in CH4 removal efficiency. Finally, the recovery of ectoine through bacterial bio-milking resulted in efficiencies of >70% without any negative impact of methanotrophic cell recycling to the bioreactors on CH4 biodegradation or ectoine synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Rosario Rodero
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Alessandro A Carmona-Martínez
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Cristina Martínez-Fraile
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Raquel Herrero-Lobo
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Elisa Rodríguez
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Pedro A García-Encina
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Mar Peña
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Raúl Muñoz
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain.
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Garg S, Behera S, Ruiz HA, Kumar S. A Review on Opportunities and Limitations of Membrane Bioreactor Configuration in Biofuel Production. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2023; 195:5497-5540. [PMID: 35579743 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-022-03955-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Biofuels are a clean and renewable source of energy that has gained more attention in recent years; however, high energy input and processing cost during the production and recovery process restricted its progress. Membrane technology offers a range of energy-saving separation for product recovery and purification in biorefining along with biofuel production processes. Membrane separation techniques in combination with different biological processes increase cell concentration in the bioreactor, reduce product inhibition, decrease chemical consumption, reduce energy requirements, and further increase product concentration and productivity. Certain membrane bioreactors have evolved with the ability to deal with different biological production and separation processes to make them cost-effective, but there are certain limitations. The present review describes the advantages and limitations of membrane bioreactors to produce different biofuels with the ability to simplify upstream and downstream processes in terms of sustainability and economics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Garg
- Biochemical Conversion Division, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy, Kapurthala, Punjab, 144601, India
- Department of Microbiology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Grand Trunk Road, Amritsar, Punjab, 143040, India
| | - Shuvashish Behera
- Biochemical Conversion Division, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy, Kapurthala, Punjab, 144601, India.
- Department of Alcohol Technology and Biofuels, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Manjari (Bk.), Pune, 412307, India.
| | - Hector A Ruiz
- Biorefinery Group, Food Research Department, School of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Sachin Kumar
- Biochemical Conversion Division, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy, Kapurthala, Punjab, 144601, India.
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7
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Chen YY, Ishikawa M, Hori K. A novel inverse membrane bioreactor for efficient bioconversion from methane gas to liquid methanol using a microbial gas-phase reaction. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:16. [PMID: 36732825 PMCID: PMC9893580 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02267-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methane (CH4), as one of the major energy sources, easily escapes from the supply chain into the atmosphere, because it exists in a gaseous state under ambient conditions. Compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), CH4 is 25 times more potent at trapping radiation; thus, the emission of CH4 to the atmosphere causes severe global warming and climate change. To mitigate CH4 emissions and utilize them effectively, the direct biological conversion of CH4 into liquid fuels, such as methanol (CH3OH), using methanotrophs is a promising strategy. However, supplying biocatalysts in an aqueous medium with CH4 involves high energy consumption due to vigorous agitation and/or bubbling, which is a serious concern in methanotrophic processes, because the aqueous phase causes a very large barrier to the delivery of slightly soluble gases. RESULTS An inverse membrane bioreactor (IMBR), which combines the advantages of gas-phase bioreactors and membrane bioreactors, was designed and constructed for the bioconversion of CH4 into CH3OH in this study. In contrast to the conventional membrane bioreactor with bacterial cells that are immersed in an aqueous phase, the filtered cells were placed to face a gas phase in the IMBR to supply CH4 directly from the gas phase to bacterial cells. Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), a representative methanotroph, was used to demonstrate the bioconversion of CH4 to CH3OH in the IMBR. Cyclopropanol was supplied from the aqueous phase as a selective inhibitor of methanol dehydrogenase, preventing further CH3OH oxidation. Sodium formate was added as an electron donor to generate NADH, which is necessary for CH3OH production. After optimizing the inlet concentration of CH4, the mass of cells, the cyclopropanol concentration, and the gas flow rate, continuous CH3OH production can be achieved over 72 h with productivity at 0.88 mmol L-1 h-1 in the IMBR, achieving a longer operation period and higher productivity than those using other types of membrane bioreactors reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS The IMBR can facilitate the development of gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies via microbial processes, allowing highly efficient mass transfer of substrates from the gas phase to microbial cells in the gas phase and having the supplement of soluble chemicals convenient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yu Chen
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Masahito Ishikawa
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
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8
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Liu Z, Xue X, Cai W, Cui K, Patil SA, Guo K. Recent progress on microbial electrosynthesis reactors and strategies to enhance the reactor performance. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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9
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Comesaña-Gándara B, García-Depraect O, Santos-Beneit F, Bordel S, Lebrero R, Muñoz R. Recent trends and advances in biogas upgrading and methanotrophs-based valorization. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL ADVANCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2022.100325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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10
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Puiman L, Elisiário MP, Crasborn LM, Wagenaar LE, Straathof AJ, Haringa C. Gas mass transfer in syngas fermentation broths is enhanced by ethanol. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Mitra S, Murthy GS. Bioreactor control systems in the biopharmaceutical industry: a critical perspective. SYSTEMS MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOMANUFACTURING 2021; 2:91-112. [PMID: 38624976 PMCID: PMC8340809 DOI: 10.1007/s43393-021-00048-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Industrial-scale bioprocessing underpins much of the production of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food, and beverage processing industries of the modern world. The profitability of these processes increasingly leverages the economies of scale and scope that are critically dependent on the product yields, titers, and productivity. Most of the processes are controlled using classical control approaches and represent over 90% of the industrial controls used in bioprocessing industries. However, with the advances in the production processes, especially in the biopharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, monitoring and control of bioprocesses such as fermentations with GMO organisms, and downstream processing has become increasingly complex and the inadequacies of the classical and some of the modern control systems techniques is becoming apparent. Therefore, with increasing research complexity, nonlinearity, and digitization in process, there has been a critical need for advanced process control that is more effective, and easier process intensification and product yield (both by quality and quantity) can be achieved. In this review, industrial aspects of a process and automation along with various commercial control strategies have been extensively discussed to give an insight into the future prospects of industrial development and possible new strategies for process control and automation with a special focus on the biopharmaceutical industry. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43393-021-00048-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagnik Mitra
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, 453552 India
| | - Ganti S. Murthy
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, 453552 India
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Bishoff D, AlSayed A, Hosen S, Menon P, ElDyasti A. Effect of COD on methanotrophic growth and the anaerobic digestibility of its sludge as a further step for integration in WWTPS. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 290:112543. [PMID: 33887639 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Within wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the anaerobically produced biogas is often underutilized. Fortunately, methanotrophic based biotechnologies can be the remedy for on-site exploitation and recovery of unused biogas. In this regard, efforts have been placed on evaluating the suitably of methanotrophs to be deployed in WWTPs. Even so, the effect of chemical oxygen demand (COD) on methanotrophic activity and methanotrophic sludge digestibility have not been studied, which is the focus of the present study. A methanotrophic culture enriched from activated sludge was exposed to four different COD concentrations (0-540 mg/L) to evaluate the effect of COD on the culture activity in batch mode. It was attained that the presence of COD concentrations up to 540 mg/L has limited influence on methanotrophic activity. This finding was supported by the similar average methane uptake rate (between 2.48 and 2.53 mgCH4/hr) and consumption (61.4 ± 1.5%) observed under the different COD concentrations. On the other hand, methanotrophic sludge was digested in comparison to waste activated sludge (WAS) collected from a WWTP for more than 40 days to evaluate its digestibility. It was obtained that the methanotrophic sludge had a methane specific yield of approximately 1.72 times greater than WAS and had a higher solids destruction rate. This research is another step demonstrating the feasibility of methanotrophs integration in WWTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danelle Bishoff
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Ahmed AlSayed
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Safyat Hosen
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Pranav Menon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BU, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed ElDyasti
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
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Tikhomirova TS, But SY. Laboratory scale bioreactor designs in the processes of methane bioconversion: Mini-review. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 47:107709. [PMID: 33548452 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Global methane emissions have been steadily increasing over the past few decades, exerting a negative effect on the environment. Biogas from landfills and sewage treatment plants is the main anthropogenic source of methane. This makes methane bioconversion one of the priority areas of biotechnology. This process involves the production of biochemical compounds from non-food sources through microbiological synthesis. Methanotrophic bacteria are a promising tool for methane bioconversion due to their ability to use this greenhouse gas and to produce protein-rich biomass, as well as a broad range of useful organic compounds. Currently, methane is used not only to produce biomass and chemical compounds, but also to increase the efficiency of water and solid waste treatment. However, the use of gaseous substrates in biotechnological processes is associated with some difficulties. The low solubility of methane in water is one of the major problems. Different approaches have been involved to encounter these challenges, including different bioreactor and gas distribution designs, solid carriers and bulk sorbents, as well as varying air/oxygen supply, the ratio of volumetric flow rate of gas mixture to its consumption rate, etc. The aim of this review was to summarize the current data on different bioreactor designs and the aspects of their applications for methane bioconversion and wastewater treatment. The bioreactors used in these processes must meet a number of requirements such as low methane emission, improved gas exchange surface, and controlled substrate supply to the reaction zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana S Tikhomirova
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center «Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences», Institutskaya 7, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142290, Russia.
| | - Sergey Y But
- G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center «Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences», Prospect Nauki 5, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142290, Russia
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14
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Patel SKS, Gupta RK, Kondaveeti S, Otari SV, Kumar A, Kalia VC, Lee JK. Conversion of biogas to methanol by methanotrophs immobilized on chemically modified chitosan. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 315:123791. [PMID: 32679540 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, chitosan modified with glutaraldehyde (GLA), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), polyethyleneimine, and APTES followed by GLA (APTES-GLA) as a support material was used to improve methanol production from biogas. Among these support materials, chitosan-APTES-GLA showed the highest increase in immobilization yield and relative efficiency of Methylomicrobium album up to 56.4% and 97.7%, respectively. Maximum cell loading of 236 mg dry cell mass per g-support was observed for M. album., which is 7.7-fold higher than that of chitosan. The immobilized M. album maintained a 23.9-fold higher methanol production compared to free cells after 8 cycles of reuse; it also produced 6.92 mmol·L-1 methanol from biogas that originated from anaerobic digestion of rice straw, thereby validating its industrial application. This is the first report on the immobilization of methanotrophs on chemically modified chitosans to improve cell loading and relative efficiency, and its potential applications in the conversion of greenhouse gases to methanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Rahul K Gupta
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanath Kondaveeti
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Sachin V Otari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Anurag Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vipin C Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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Rodríguez Y, Firmino PIM, Pérez V, Lebrero R, Muñoz R. Biogas valorization via continuous polyhydroxybutyrate production by Methylocystis hirsuta in a bubble column bioreactor. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 113:395-403. [PMID: 32585559 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Creating additional value out of biogas during waste treatment has become a priority in past years. Biogas bioconversion into valuable bioproducts such as biopolymers has emerged as a promising strategy. This work assessed the operational feasibility of a bubble column bioreactor (BCB) implemented with gas recirculation and inoculated with a polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing strain using biogas as substrate. The BCB was initially operated at empty bed residence times (EBRTs) ranging from 30 to 120 min and gas recirculation ratios (R) from 0 to 30 to assess the gas-to-liquid mass transfer and bioconversion of CH4. Subsequently, the BCB was continuously operated at a R of 30 and an EBRT of 60 min under excess of nitrogen and nitrogen feast-famine cycles of 24 h:24 h to trigger PHB synthesis. Gas recirculation played a major role in CH4 gas-liquid transfer, providing almost fourfold higher CH4 elimination capacities (~41 g CH4 m-3 h-1) at the highest R and EBRT of 60 min. The long-term operation under N excess conditions entailed nitrite accumulation (induced by O2 limiting conditions) and concurrent methanotrophic activity inhibition above ~60 mg N-NO2- L-1. Adjusting the N-NO3- supply to match microbial N demand successfully prevented nitrite accumulation. Finally, the N feast-famine 24 h:24 h strategy supported a stable CH4 conversion with a removal efficiency of 70% along with a continuous PHB production, which yielded PHB accumulations of 14.5 ± 2.9% (mg PHB mg-1 total suspended solids × 100). These outcomes represent the first step towards the integration of biogas biorefineries into conventional anaerobic digestion plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadira Rodríguez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Paulo Igor Milen Firmino
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Víctor Pérez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Raquel Lebrero
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Raúl Muñoz
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
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Patel SKS, Shanmugam R, Kalia VC, Lee JK. Methanol production by polymer-encapsulated methanotrophs from simulated biogas in the presence of methane vector. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 304:123022. [PMID: 32070839 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Type I (Methylomicrobium album) and II (Methyloferula stellata) methanotrophs were encapsulated by alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to improve methanol production from simulated biogas [methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2)] in the presence of CH4 vector. Polymeric matrix alginate (2%) and PVA (10%) were found to be optimum for the immobilization of both the methanotrophs, with a relative efficiency of methanol production up to 80.6 and 88.7%, respectively. The stability of methanol production by immobilized cells was improved up to 13.2-fold under repeated batch-culture over free cells. The addition of CH4 vectors showed 1.7-fold higher methanol production on using simulated biogas than in the control. The maximum methanol production of 7.46 and 7.14 mmol/L was noted for PVA-encapsulated M. album and M. stellata, respectively. This study successfully established the beneficial effects of CH4 vectors on methanol production by methanotrophs from greenhouse gases that can be applied for real biogas feedstock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Ramasamy Shanmugam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vipin Chandra Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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Singh R, Ryu J, Kim SW. Microbial consortia including methanotrophs: some benefits of living together. J Microbiol 2019; 57:939-952. [PMID: 31659683 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-019-9328-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
With the progress of biotechnological research and improvements made in bioprocessing with pure cultures, microbial consortia have gained recognition for accomplishing biological processes with improved effectiveness. Microbes are indispensable tool in developing bioprocesses for the production of bioenergy and biochemicals while utilizing renewable resources due to technical, economic and environmental advantages. They communicate with specific cohorts in close proximity to promote metabolic cooperation. Use of positive microbial associations has been recognized widely, especially in food industries and bioremediation of toxic compounds and waste materials. Role of microbial associations in developing sustainable energy sources and substitutes for conventional fuels is highly promising with many commercial prospects. Detoxification of chemical contaminants sourced from domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes has also been achieved through microbial catalysis in pure and co-culture systems. Methanotrophs, the sole biological sink of greenhouse gas methane, catalyze the methane monooxygenasemediated oxidation of methane to methanol, a high energy density liquid and key platform chemical to produce commodity chemical compounds and their derivatives. Constructed microbial consortia have positive effects, such as improved biomass, biocatalytic potential, stability etc. In a methanotroph-heterotroph consortium, non-methanotrophs provide key nutrient factors and alleviate the toxicity from the culture. Non-methanotrophic organisms biologically stimulate the growth and activity of methanotrophs via production of growth stimulators. However, methanotrophs in association with co-cultured microorganisms are in need of further exploration and thorough investigation to study their interaction mode and application with improved effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Singh
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewon Ryu
- Department of Energy Convergence, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Si Wouk Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Energy Convergence, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea.
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Bolivar JM, Mannsberger A, Thomsen MS, Tekautz G, Nidetzky B. Process intensification for O 2 -dependent enzymatic transformations in continuous single-phase pressurized flow. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:503-514. [PMID: 30512199 PMCID: PMC6590253 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative O2 -dependent biotransformations are promising for chemical synthesis, but their development to an efficiency required in fine chemical manufacturing has proven difficult. General problem for process engineering of these systems is that thermodynamic and kinetic limitations on supplying O2 to the enzymatic reaction combine to create a complex bottleneck on conversion efficiency. We show here that continuous-flow microreactor technology offers a comprehensive solution. It does so by expanding the process window to the medium pressure range (here, ≤34 bar) and thus enables biotransformations to be conducted in a single liquid phase at boosted concentrations of the dissolved O2 (here, up to 43 mM). We take reactions of glucose oxidase and d-amino acid oxidase as exemplary cases to demonstrate that the pressurized microreactor presents a powerful engineering tool uniquely apt to overcome restrictions inherent to the individual O2 -dependent transformation considered. Using soluble enzymes in liquid flow, we show reaction rate enhancement (up to six-fold) due to the effect of elevated O2 concentrations on the oxidase kinetics. When additional catalase was used to recycle dissolved O2 from the H2 O2 released in the oxidase reaction, product formation was doubled compared to the O2 supplied, in the absence of transfer from a gas phase. A packed-bed reactor containing oxidase and catalase coimmobilized on porous beads was implemented to demonstrate catalyst recyclability and operational stability during continuous high-pressure conversion. Product concentrations of up to 80 mM were obtained at low residence times (1-4 min). Up to 360 reactor cycles were performed at constant product release and near-theoretical utilization of the O2 supplied. Therefore, we show that the pressurized microreactor is practical embodiment of a general reaction-engineering concept for process intensification in enzymatic conversions requiring O2 as the cosubstrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Bolivar
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), Graz, Austria.,Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alexander Mannsberger
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Günter Tekautz
- Microinnova Engineering GmbH, Allerheiligen bei Wildon, Austria
| | - Bernd Nidetzky
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), Graz, Austria.,Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
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Li G, Li H, Wei G, He X, Xu S, Chen K, Ouyang P, Ji X. Hydrodynamics, mass transfer and cell growth characteristics in a novel microbubble stirred bioreactor employing sintered porous metal plate impeller as gas sparger. Chem Eng Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2018.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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AlSayed A, Fergala A, Eldyasti A. Influence of biomass density and food to microorganisms ratio on the mixed culture type I methanotrophs enriched from activated sludge. J Environ Sci (China) 2018; 70:87-96. [PMID: 30037414 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2017.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Methanotrophic based process can be the remedy to offset the wastewater treatment facilities increasing energy requirements due to methanotroph's unique ability to integrate methane assimilation with multiple biotechnological applications like biological nitrogen removal and methanol production. Regardless of the methanotrophic process end product, the challenge to maintain stable microbial growth in the methanotrophs cultivation bioreactor at higher cell densities is one of the major obstacles facing the process upscaling. Therefore, a series of consecutive batch tests were performed to attentively investigate the biomass density influence on type I methanotrophs bacterial growth. In addition, food to microorganisms (F/M), carbon to nitrogen (C/N) and nitrogen to microorganisms (N/M) ratio effect on the microbial activity was studied for the first time. It was clarified that the F/M ratio is the most influencing factor on the microbial growth at higher biomass densities rather than the biomass density increase, whereas C/N and N/M ratio change, while using nitrate as the nitrogen source, does not influence methanotrophs microbial growth. These study results would facilitate the scaling up of methanotrophic based biotechnology by identifying that F/M ratio as the key parameter that influences methanotrophs cultivation at high biomass densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed AlSayed
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Ahmed Fergala
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Ahmed Eldyasti
- Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada.
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Muñoz R, Soto C, Zuñiga C, Revah S. A systematic comparison of two empirical gas-liquid mass transfer determination methodologies to characterize methane biodegradation in stirred tank bioreactors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 217:247-252. [PMID: 29605779 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.03.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed at systematically comparing the potential of two empirical methods for the estimation of the volumetric CH4 mass transfer coefficient (klaCH4), namely gassing-out and oxygen transfer rate (OTR), to describe CH4 biodegradation in a fermenter operated with a methanotrophic consortium at 400, 600 and 800 rpm. The klaCH4 estimated from the OTR methodology accurately predicted the CH4 elimination capacity (EC) under CH4 mass transfer limiting conditions regardless of the stirring rate (∼9% of average error between empirical and estimated ECs). Thus, empirical CH4-ECs of 37.8 ± 5.8, 42.5 ± 5.4 and 62.3 ± 5.2 g CH4 m-3 h-1vs predicted CH4-ECs of 35.6 ± 2.2, 50.1 ± 2.3 and 59.6 ± 3.4 g CH4 m-3 h-1 were recorded at 400, 600 and 800 rpm, respectively. The rapid Co2+-catalyzed reaction of O2 with SO3-2 in the vicinity of the gas-liquid interphase during OTR determinations, mimicking microbial CH4 uptake in the biotic experiments, was central to accurately describe the klaCH4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Muñoz
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Cuajimalpa, Avenida Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Col. Santa Fe Cuajimalpa. Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Cenit Soto
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Cuajimalpa, Avenida Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Col. Santa Fe Cuajimalpa. Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Cristal Zuñiga
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Cuajimalpa, Avenida Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Col. Santa Fe Cuajimalpa. Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sergio Revah
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Cuajimalpa, Avenida Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Col. Santa Fe Cuajimalpa. Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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