• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1452-1456
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• 2012

The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in anaerobic sewage sludge was characterized. The net methane oxidation was observed in samples amended with methane plus sulfate or with methane alone, whereas methane formation was observed in the samples without methane, indicating that methane oxidation and formation occurred simultaneously. The ratio of the net methane oxidation rate to $H_2S$ formation was 100:1, suggesting that the AOM was not closely associated with sulfate reduction in the anaerobic sludge. The net AOM was positively associated with the methane concentration and sludge dilution ratio. However, the rate of AOM was negatively correlated with organic substrate (acetate) concentration. Therefore, the production and oxidation of methane could be controlled by environmental conditions and dissolved organic compounds in the bulk solution.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.2892-2897
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• 2008

Plasma techniques have been proposed to generate a hydrogen enrich gas to investigate a feasibility of plasma techniques on a fuel reforming, we considered a dry reforming and a partial oxidation with methane in the atmospheric pressure. For these experiments, we employed an arc jet plasma reactor. The effects of input power and oxidizer in each process were investigated by product analysis, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen, ethylene, propane, and acetylene as well as methane and carbon dioxide. In both processes, input electrical power activated the reactions significantly. The increased ratio of the carbon dioxide to methane in the dry reforming doesn't affect to a methane conversion, whereas increased ratio of oxidizer to methane in the partial oxidation was very effective for the reaction. Moreover, for a simultaneous treatment of methane and carbon dioxide, a feasibility of a dry reforming combined with partial oxidation also has been investigated.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Methane is a major greenhouse gas attributed to global warming partly contributed by agricultural activities from ruminant fermentation and rice paddy fields. Methanotrophs are microorganisms that utilize methane. Their unique metabolic lifestyle is enabled by enzymes known as methane monooxygenases (MMOs) catalyzing the oxidation of methane to methanol. Rice absorbs, transports, and releases methane directly from soil water to its stems and the micropores and stomata of the plant epidermis. Methylobacterium species associated with rice are dependent on their host for metabolic substrates including methane. METHODS AND RESULTS: Methylobacterium spp. isolated from rice were evaluated for methane oxidation activities and screened for the presence of sMMO mmoC genes. Qualitatively, the soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) activities of the selected strains of Methylobacterium spp. were confirmed by the naphthalene oxidation assay. Quantitatively, the sMMO activity ranged from 41.3 to 159.4 nmol min^-1 mg of protein^-1. PCR-based amplification and sequencing confirmed the presence and identity of 314 bp size fragment of the mmoC gene showing over 97% similarity to the CBMB27 mmoC gene indicating that Methylobacterium strains belong to a similar group. CONCLUSION(S): Selected Methylobacterium spp. contained the sMMO mmoC gene and possessed methane oxidation activity. As the putative methane oxidizing strains were isolated from rice and have PGP properties, they could be used to simultaneously reduce paddy field methane emission and promote rice growth.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.157-161
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• 2010

Forest soils are often nitrogen-limited, and nitrogen input to forest soils can cause substantial changes in the structure and functions of a soil ecosystem. To determine the effects of nitrogen input on methane oxidation and the microbial enzyme activities, manipulation experiments were conducted using nitrogen addition to soil samples from Mt. Jumbong. Our findings suggested that the addition of nitrogen to the soil system of Mt. Jumbong did not affect the microbial enzyme activities. Conversely, the addition of nitrogen affected the rate of methane oxidation. Inorganic nitrogen in soils can inhibit methane oxidation via several mechanisms, such as substrate competition, toxic effects, and competition with other microbes, but the inhibitory effects are not always the same. In this research, seasonal changes were found to produce different inhibitory factors, and these different responses may be caused from differences in the methantrophic bacteria community structure.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.295-312
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: Global warming is one of the most pressing environmental issues which concomitantly complicates global climate change. Methane emission is a balance between methanogenesis and methane consumption, both of which are driven by microbial actions in different ecosystems producing methane, one of the major greenhouse gases. Paddy fields are major sources of anthropogenic methane emissions and could be compounded by organic fertilization. METHODS AND RESULTS: Literature reviews were conducted to give an overview of the global warming conditions and to present the relationship of carbon and methane to greenhouse gas emissions, and the need to understand the underlying processes of methane emission. A more extensive review was done from studies on methane emission in paddy fields under organic fertilization with greater emphasis on long term amendments. Changes in paddy soils due to organic fertilization include alterations of the physicochemical properties and changes in biological components. There are diverse phylogenetic groups of methanogens and methane oxidizing bacteria involved in methane emission. Also, multiple factors influence methanogenesis and methane oxidation in rice paddy fields under organic fertilization and they should be greatly considered when developing mitigating steps in methane emission in paddy fields especially under long term organic fertilization. CONCLUSION(S): This review showed that organic fertilization, particularly for long term management practices, influenced both physicochemical and biological components of the paddy fields which could ultimately affect methanogenesis, methane oxidation, and methane emission. Understanding interrelated factors affecting methane emission helps create ways to mitigate their impact on global warming and climate change.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.306-313
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Forest soils contain microbes capable of consuming atmospheric methane ($CH_4$), an amount matching the annual increase in $CH_4$ concentration in the atmosphere. However, the effect of plant residue production by different forest structure on $CH_4$ oxidation is not studied in Korea. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Korean alpine soils having different forestation structure on $CH_4$ uptake rates. METHODS AND RESULTS: the $CH_4$ flux was measured at three sites dominated with pine, chestnut and oak trees in southern Korea. The $CH_4$ uptake potentials were evaluated by a closed chamber method for a year. The $CH_4$ uptake rate was the highest in the pine tree soil ($1.05mg/m^2/day$) and then followed by oak ($0.930mg/m^2/day$) and chestnut trees ($0.497mg/m^2/day$). The $CH_4$ uptake rates were highly correlated to soil organic matter and moisture contents, and total microbial and methanotrophs activities. Different with the general concent, there was no any correlation between $CH_4$ oxidation rates, and soil temperature and labile carbon concentrations, irrespective with tree species. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, the methane oxidation rate was correlated in positive manner with organic matter, abundance of methanotrophs. Methane oxidation was different among tree species. This results could be used to estimate methane oxidation rate in forest of Korea after complementing information about statistical data and methane oxidation of other site.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.753-756
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• 2011

A methane-oxidizing bacterium was isolated from the enriched culture of a landfill cover soil. The closest relative of the isolate, designated M6, is Methylocystis sp. Based on a kinetic analysis, the maximum specific methane oxidation rate and saturation constant were 4.93 mmol gdry cell $weight^{-1}{\cdot}h^{-1}$ and 23${\mu}M$, respectively. This was the first time a kinetic analysis was performed using pure methanotrophic culture. The methane oxidation by M6 was investigated in the presence of aromatic (m- and pxylene and ethylbenzene) or sulfur (hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, methanthiol) compounds. The methane oxidation was inhibited by the presence of aromatic or sulfur compounds.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.799-803
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• 2002

Partial oxidation of methane has been conducted over $CeO_2$and it has been found that $CeO_2$has an extraordinary catalytic activity in the reaction. Its activity was strongly dependent on the $CH_4/CO_2$ ratio. Total combustion was dominant with stoichiometric feed ratio$(CH_4/O_2=$ 2.0) but partial oxidation was achieved between the $CH_4/O_2$ ration of 3.8 4.3 and the period depended upon the feed composition. The proposed raaction mechanism it that oxygen vacancies in raduced deria are supplied with oxygen molecules from the reactant, and then activate adsorbed oxygen, followed by releasing activated axygen species reacting with methane to produce $H_2$ and CO.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

Migration of methane ($CH_4$) gas from landfills to the surrounding environment negatively affects both humankind and the environment. It is therefore essential to develop management techniques to reduce $CH_4$ emissions from landfills to minimize global warming and to reduce the human risks associated with $CH_4$ gas migration. Oxidation of $CH_4$ in landfill cover soil is the most important strategy for $CH_4$ emissions mitigation. $CH_4$ oxidation occurs naturally in landfill cover soils due to the abundance of methanotrophic bacteria. However, the activities of these bacteria are influenced by several controlling factors. This study attempts to review the important issues associated with the $CH_4$ oxidation process in landfill cover soils. The $CH_4$ oxidation process is highly sensitive to environmental factors and cover soil properties. The comparison of various biotic system techniques indicated that each technique has unique advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of the best technique for a specific application depends on economic constraints, treatment efficiency and landfill operations.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 2005

Methanol was synthesized by homogeneous and catalytic reactions of partial oxidation of methane. The effect of pressure, temperature and oxygen concentration on methanol synthesis was investigated. The catalyst used was Bi-Cs-Mg-Cu-Mo mixed oxide. The partial oxidation reaction was carried out in a fixed bed reactor at 20${\sim}$46 bar and $450{\sim}480^{\circ}C$ and oxygen concentration of 5.3${\sim}$7.7mol%. The results were compared with results of homogeneous reaction performed at the same conditions. Methane conversions of the homogeneous and catalytic reactions increased with temperature. Methanol selectivity of the homogeneous reaction decreased with increasing temperature. However, the methanol selectivity of catalytic reaction increased with temperature. For both homogeneous and catalytic reactions, the methane conversions were around 5%. This may be due to the low oxygen concentration. Methanol selectivity of the catalytic reaction was higher than that of homogeneous one.