Bioconversion of methane to methanol using Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b in the repeated batch reaction system

Type strain, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, was used to convert methane to methanol. To prevent further oxidation of methanol, NaCl and EDTA were used as inhibitors of methanol dehydrogenase. The reaction temperature was $25^{\circ}C$, and the concentrations of cell and sodium formate added to the reaction mixture were 0.6 mg dry cell wt/ml and 20 mM, respectively. During 12hr reaction, 8 mM methanol was accumulated in the reaction mixture. In this reaction $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values were found to be 532.6 mM and 1.749 mmol/hr, respectively, and the conversion rate was approximately 37%. To increase the concentration of methanol in the medium, a repeated batch reaction was carried out. In this process, methane was injected every eight hours, and the produced methanol concentration was 18 mM.