Anaerobic biodegradation of eleven aromatic compounds to methane

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5537462

Healy, Jr, J B; Yound, L Y

A range of 11 simple aromatic lignin derivatives are biodegradable to methane and CO/sub 2/ under strict anaerobic conditions. A serum-bottle modification of the Hungate technique for growing anaerobes was used for methanogenic enrichments on vanillin, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, catechol, protocatechuic acid, phenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, and syringaldehyde. Microbial populations acclimated to a particular aromatic substrate can be simultaneously acclimated to other selected aromatic substrates. Carbon balance measurements made on vanillic and ferulic acids indicate that the aromatic ring was cleaved and that the amount of methane produced from these substrates closely agrees with calculated stoichiometric values. These data suggest that more than half of the organic carbon of these aromatic compounds potentially can be converted to methane gas and that this type of methanogenic conversion of simple aromatics may not be uncommon.

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., California
• OSTI ID: 5537462
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 38:1; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550700* -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
BIODEGRADATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING