Growth of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum on H 2CO 2: High CH 4 productivities in continuous culture

Abstract

The thermophilic methanogenic bacterium, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, was grown on H 2CO 2. In continuous culture, high CH 4 productivities were obtained (288 litres litre −1 day −1) with 96% CH 4 in the effluent gas, i.e. the productivity was twice as high as that obtained previously by other authors, with pure or mixed cultures; the biomass was 3·6 g dry wt litre −1.