Microbiology Commons^™

Trace Elements Affect Methanogenic Activity And Diversity In Enrichments From Subsurface Coal Bed Produced Water, B. Unal, V. R. Perry, M. Sheth, V. Gomez-Alvarez, K. J. Chin, Klaus R. Nusslein

Klaus R. Nusslein

Microbial methane from coal beds accounts for a significant and growing percentage of natural gas worldwide. Our knowledge of physical and geochemical factors regulating methanogenesis is still in its infancy. We hypothesized that in these closed systems, trace elements (as micronutrients) are a limiting factor for methanogenic growth and activity. Trace elements are essential components of enzymes or cofactors of metabolic pathways associated with methanogenesis. This study examined the effects of eight trace elements (iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, boron, and copper) on methane production, on mcrA transcript levels, and on methanogenic community structure in enrichment cultures obtained from …