Conversion of lactose to methane by defined bacterial cocultures

✍ Scribed by A. Schug; S. M. Schoberth; H. Sahm

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 468 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0138-4988
• DOI: 10.1002/abio.370070412

✦ Synopsis

The conversion of lactosethe main constituent of wheyt o methane and carbon dioxide was studied using different defined constructed cultures, imploying strains of Methanosarcina barkeri, ilIethanobacterium bryantii, Escherichia coli, Acetobacterium woodii, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The following combinations of strains (food chains) were studied with respect t o efficiency and yield of lactose conversion (methane yield in parentheses): E. edi and M . barken' (4.3-7.6y0), E . coli and M . brynntii (13.3y0), E. coli, M . barkeri and M . bryantii (54%). L. casei, A . woodii and M . barkeri (93.3'3,). These conversions were carried out in pH controlled batch fermentations. A very efficient coculture was a combination of L. plantarum with A . w d i i and M . barkeri: in chemostat cultures lactose was converted t o methane and carbon dioxide with a yield of about goyo, a t dilution rates of 0.27 d-l to 0.37 d-l.