Carbon monoxide conversion by anaerobic bioreactor sludges

• Published in: FEMS microbiology ecology 2003-05, Vol.44 (2), p.271-277
• Main Authors: Sipma, Jan, Lens, Piet N.L., Stams, Alfons J.M., Lettinga, Gatze
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid; Acetate; acetates; acetic acid; afvalwaterbehandeling; Anaerobic bioconversion; Anaerobic Digestion; anaerobic treatment; anaërobe behandeling; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biological treatment of waters; bioreactoren; bioreactors; Biotechnology; Carbon monoxide; carboxydothermus-hydrogenoformans; energy; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Granular sludge; growth; Hydrogen; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; koolmonoxide; metabolism; methane; methanogenic bacteria; oxidation; reactor; reductie; reduction; rioolafvalwater; sewage effluent; slib; sludge; sludges; sp-nov; sulfate reduction; synthesis-gas; waste water treatment; wastewater treatment; Water–gas-shift reaction
• ISSN: 0168-6496; 1574-6941
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-6496(03)00033-3

Seven different anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment reactors were screened for their ability to convert carbon monoxide (CO) at 30 and 55°C. At 30°C, CO was converted to methane and/or acetate by all tested sludges. Inhibition experiments, using 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid and vancomycine, showed that CO conversion to methane at 30°C occurred via acetate, but not via H 2. At 55°C, four sludges originally cultivated at 30–35°C and one sludge cultivated at 55°C converted CO rapidly into hydrogen or into methane. In the latter case, inhibition experiments showed that methane was formed via hydrogen as the intermediate.