Microbial methane formation from hard coal and timber in an abandoned coal mine

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Geomicrobiology Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/01490450802258402· OSTI ID:21095798

Kruger, M; Beckmann, S; Engelen, B; Thielemann, T; Cramer, B; Schippers, A; Cypionka, H ^[1]

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1. Federal Institute for Geoscience and Natural Resources BGR, Hannover (Germany)

About 7% of the global annual methane emissions originate from coal mining. Also, mine gas has come into focus of the power industry and is being used increasingly for heat and power production. In many coal deposits worldwide, stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic signatures of methane indicate a mixed thermogenic and biogenic origin. In this study, we have measured in an abandoned coal mine methane fluxes and isotopic signatures of methane and carbon dioxide, and collected samples for microbiological and phylogenetic investigations. Mine timber and hard coal showed an in-situ production of methane with isotopic signatures similar to those of the methane in the mine atmosphere. Enrichment cultures amended with mine timber or hard coal as sole carbon sources formed methane over a period of nine months. Predominantly, acetoclastic methanogenesis was stimulated in enrichments containing acetate or hydrogen/carbon dioxide. Molecular techniques revealed that the archaeal community in enrichment cultures and unamended samples was dominated by members of the Methanosarcinales. The combined geochemical and microbiological investigations identify microbial methanogenesis as a recent source of methane in abandoned coal mines.

• OSTI ID: 21095798
• Journal Information: Geomicrobiology Journal, Journal Name: Geomicrobiology Journal Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 25; ISSN 0149-0451; ISSN GEJODG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
ABANDONED SHAFTS
BLACK COAL
COAL MINES
EMISSION
GEOCHEMISTRY
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
ORIGIN
PRODUCTION
WOOD