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Updated: Dec 16, 2025

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
Published on: March 22, 2024
Carbon monoxide conversion and syngas biomethanation mediated by different microbial consortia
Chunxing Li1, Xinyu Zhu1, Irini Angelidaki1
1Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark.
Abstract:
Syngas biomethanation is an attractive process for extending application of gasification products. In the present study, anaerobic sludges from three methanogenic reactors feeding cattle manure (CS), sewage sludge (SS) and gaseous H2/CO2 (GS) were used to investigate the effect of microbial consortia composition on syngas biomethanation. The results showed that CS presented the highest CO consumption rate due to its highest relative abundance of CO consuming bacteria. The CO was mainly converted to acetate, and syntrophic acetate oxidization (SAO) bacteria converted acetate to H2/CO2 for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis in CS and SS. However, acetate was accumulated in GS for lacking acetoclastic methanogens and SAO bacteria, leading to lower biomethanation efficiency. Additionally, adding stoichiometric H2 could convert CO and CO2 to nearly pure methane, while, the CO consumption rate declined in H2 added systems. The results present novel insights into microbial consortia on CO conversion and syngas biomethanation.
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