Methane is the most important hydrocarbon in the atmosphere. It is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Scientist from Radboud University He showed that it could produce energy from methane-eating bacteria. A bacterium called Candidatus Methanoperedens uses methane for growth. These bacteria usually form in fresh water such as ditches and lakes.
Scientists were initially interested in learning about the transformation processes that occur in microorganisms. They are also curious to see if this process can be used to produce energy.
Microbiologist and author Cornelia Welty said, This can be very beneficial for the power sector. In current biogas facilities, microorganisms produce methane It then burns, which spins a turbine, thereby generating power. Less than half of the biogas is converted to energy, which is the maximum achievable capacity. We wanted to evaluate whether we could do a better job with microorganisms. “
Previously, microbiologists from Nijmegen discovered that it was possible to generate energy using anammox bacteria that use ammonium during the process instead of methane.
Microbiologist Helen Opoter said, “The process in these bacteria is the same. We make a type of battery with two ends, where one is the biological end and the other end is the chemical end. We grew bacteria on one of the electrodes, where the bacteria donated electrons. from methane conversion.”
welty He saidAnd “We have managed to convert 31 percent of methane to electricity through this approach, but they aim for higher efficiency. We will continue to focus on improving the system.”
Journal reference:
- Helen T. Ouboter et al. Methane-dependent extracellular electron transfer in bioanodes by anaerobic methanotrophs “Candidatus Methanoperedens”. DOI: 10.3389 / fmicb.2022.820989
–
