Biocatalytic methane oxidation

The kinetics of biocatalytic methane oxidation should be known to make use of this process in environmental biotechnology. Here, biocatalytic methane oxidation is described using multisubstrate kinetic models (studies were performed at 30°C). The dependence of the specific growth rate of microorganisms (biomass buildup per unit time divided by the amount of biomass) on the methane and oxygen concentrations in the culture liquid is best describable in terms of the Moser-Moser multisubstrate kinetic model. The methane and oxygen consumption coefficients and the carbon dioxide yield coefficient have been determined. These data are used to construct a mathematical model for heterogeneous biocatalytic methane oxidation. With this model, it is possible to predict the behavior of the biocatalytic system under given conditions.