Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Agarose-Based Model Ecosystem for Cultivating Methanotrophs in a Methane-Oxygen Counter Gradient
Published on: September 6, 2024
Modelling of stable isotope fractionation by methane oxidation and diffusion in landfill cover soils
Koenraad Mahieu1, Alex De Visscher, Peter A Vanrolleghem
1Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, Ghent, Belgium. Koenraad.mahieu@lid.kviv.be
Abstract:
A technique to measure biological methane oxidation in landfill cover soils that is gaining increased interest is the measurement of stable isotope fractionation in the methane. Usually to quantify methane oxidation, only fractionation by oxidation is taken into account. Recently it was shown that neglecting the isotope fractionation by diffusion results in underestimation of the methane oxidation. In this study a simulation model was developed that describes gas transport and methane oxidation in landfill cover soils. The model distinguishes between 12CH4, 13CH4, and 12CH3D explicitly, and includes isotope fractionation by diffusion and oxidation. To evaluate the model, the simulations were compared with column experiments from previous studies. The predicted concentration profiles and isotopic profiles match the measured ones very well, with a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 1.7 vol% in the concentration and a RMSD of 0.8 per thousand in the delta13C value, with delta13C the relative 13C abundance as compared to an international standard. Overall, the comparison shows that a model-based isotope approach for the determination of methane oxidation efficiencies is feasible and superior to existing isotope methods.
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Methanogenesis
Microbes and Climate Change
Soil Microbial Ecology
Microbes and the Carbon Cycle
Microbial Mats
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

