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Hydrogen Production from Methane by Methylomonas sp. DH-1 under Micro-aerobic Conditions

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  • Bioprocess Engineering
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Abstract

Fueled by the recognition of hydrogen as a promising renewable energy source for the future, there have been many attempts to find greener and more economical ways for its production from various sources. In this study, Methylomonas sp. DH-1, a type I methanotroph, was found to produce hydrogen using methane as a sole carbon source, under micro-aerobic conditions; this is analogous to the partial oxidation of methane in a thermochemical process based on metal catalysts. Flask cultures of Methylomonas sp. DH-1 were used to investigate the effects of different culture conditions on hydrogen production, including oxygen levels, methane/oxygen ratios, and initial cell densities. Methylomonas sp. DH-1 could produce hydrogen at an oxygen level below 4%, regardless of the methane content in the flask, implying that the critical factor for hydrogen production is the oxygen level, rather than the methane/oxygen ratio. Moreover, Methylomonas sp. DH-1 shows reversibility in hydrogen production and uptake, because the strain produces hydrogen under micro-aerobic conditions, uptakes it when the oxygen levels increase, and restores the hydrogen production capability when conditions become microaerobic again. Under initial conditions of 30% methane, 70% air, and an OD600nm of 6, hydrogen production was 26.87 μmol and its yields per methane and dry cell weight were 14.98 mmol-H2/mol-CH4 and 101.53 μmol-H2/g DCW, respectively, after 24 h of cultivation.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Sogang University Research Grant of 2017 (201710069.01) and by “Human Resources Program in Energy Technology” of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resources from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea (No. 20174010201150).

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Neither ethical approval nor informed consent was required for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Korea

    Seo Young Jo, Mi Na Rhie, Yu Jung Sohn & Si Jae Park

  2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Korea

    Soo Min Jung, Jinwon Lee & Jeong-Geol Na

  3. Department of Biochemical Engineering, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, 25457, Korea

    Young Joo Yeon

  4. Korea Institute of Energy Research, Gwangju, 61003, Korea

    Min-Sik Kim

  5. Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Korea

    Chulhwan Park

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  1. Seo Young Jo
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Jo, S.Y., Rhie, M.N., Jung, S.M. et al. Hydrogen Production from Methane by Methylomonas sp. DH-1 under Micro-aerobic Conditions. Biotechnol Bioproc E 25, 71–77 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-019-0256-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-019-0256-6

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