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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
07:31
Agarose-Based Model Ecosystem for Cultivating Methanotrophs in a Methane-Oxygen Counter Gradient
Published on: September 6, 2024
Denitrification with methane as external carbon source.
Oskar Modin1, Kensuke Fukushi, Kazuo Yamamoto
1Department of Urban Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. oskar@env.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Water Research
|April 17, 2007
Summary
Methane-consuming microbial consortia can remove nitrogen pollutants through denitrification. This review examines aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification and simultaneous nitrification/denitrification processes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Microbiology
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Wastewater Treatment
Background:
- Methane is a cost-effective electron donor for biological nitrogen removal.
- No single methanotroph performs denitrification; however, microbial consortia can achieve this.
- Methane oxidation coupled to denitrification occurs both aerobically and anaerobically.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the process of aerobic methane-oxidation coupled to denitrification (AME-D).
- To discuss anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (ANME-D).
- To cover methane oxidation coupled to simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of laboratory studies on methane-oxidizing microbial consortia.
- Analysis of aerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (AME-D).
- Examination of anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (ANME-D) and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND).
Main Results:
- Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria release organics used by denitrifiers.
- Anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification is mediated by archaea-bacteria associations.
- Methane-oxidizing consortia show potential for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.
Conclusions:
- Microbial consortia utilizing methane offer versatile biological nitrogen removal pathways.
- Aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification are viable wastewater treatment strategies.
- Further research into methane-driven nitrogen removal processes is warranted.
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