Event Title
ENV-610: EFFECT OF NUTRIENTS ON METHANOTROPHIC OXIDATION ACTIVITY IN BATCH EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
Location
London
Event Website
http://www.csce2016.ca/
Description
Methane biofiltration (MBF) has been proposed as an effective and cost efficient method for mitigating methane emissions from anthropogenic sources. Previous MBF studies have successfully demonstrated effective methane oxidation using compost, soil and biodegradable organic materials as the filter medium because they are a natural source of nutrients, organic matter content, and provide adequate space to support microbiological growth. However, these media types will inevitably decompose over time and lose their effectiveness. This study investigates the use of biologically stable media mixtures of lava rock and biochar in batch oxidation studies to determine their ability to support a methanotrophic bacterial population for the oxidation of methane. A screening experiment was performed using an unreplicated 23 factorial design to understand the influence of nutrient content, water holding capacity (WHC), and mixture ratios of lava rock and biochar, by volume, on the methane oxidation rate (MOR). Virtually no activity was observed when 3300 ppm of nitrogen were added to the batches. Methane oxidation activities were only observed when lower nutrient additions were made at 96 ppm of nitrogen with values reaching 2.2 - 2.5 mol/mL∙hr when the WHC was adjusted to 50% regardless of the media composition. Subsequent replicates performed at the lower nitrogen level additions and 30% WHC demonstrated similar MORs. Results demonstrate the supplementation of nutrients to a mixture of lava rock and biochar is possible in supporting a methanotrophic population and that lava rock can be used as a bulking agent.
Included in
ENV-610: EFFECT OF NUTRIENTS ON METHANOTROPHIC OXIDATION ACTIVITY IN BATCH EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
London
Methane biofiltration (MBF) has been proposed as an effective and cost efficient method for mitigating methane emissions from anthropogenic sources. Previous MBF studies have successfully demonstrated effective methane oxidation using compost, soil and biodegradable organic materials as the filter medium because they are a natural source of nutrients, organic matter content, and provide adequate space to support microbiological growth. However, these media types will inevitably decompose over time and lose their effectiveness. This study investigates the use of biologically stable media mixtures of lava rock and biochar in batch oxidation studies to determine their ability to support a methanotrophic bacterial population for the oxidation of methane. A screening experiment was performed using an unreplicated 23 factorial design to understand the influence of nutrient content, water holding capacity (WHC), and mixture ratios of lava rock and biochar, by volume, on the methane oxidation rate (MOR). Virtually no activity was observed when 3300 ppm of nitrogen were added to the batches. Methane oxidation activities were only observed when lower nutrient additions were made at 96 ppm of nitrogen with values reaching 2.2 - 2.5 mol/mL∙hr when the WHC was adjusted to 50% regardless of the media composition. Subsequent replicates performed at the lower nitrogen level additions and 30% WHC demonstrated similar MORs. Results demonstrate the supplementation of nutrients to a mixture of lava rock and biochar is possible in supporting a methanotrophic population and that lava rock can be used as a bulking agent.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/csce2016/London/Environmental/7
