Methanotrophs: Methane Mitigation, Denitrification and Bioremediation

Methanotrophs are bacteria capable of using methane as a carbon source. They can lower atmospheric methane emissions, remove N in environmental and wastewater treatment systems and even transform organic pollutants in soils. Methanotrophic methane mitigation technologies have been demonstrated beyond the laboratories as adaptable field-scale systems that may be engineered to meet site-specific climatic variations and ensure minimal atmospheric methane emission. In agricultural sediments and soils, methanotrophs sequester methane but are affected by fertiliser applications, while in wastewater treatment systems they can lower the costs associated with N removal. Finally, the methanotrophs are particularly appealing as bioremediation agents in methane-containing environments, as their primary enzymes have a broad substrate range that can transform various hydrocarbons, including aromatic compounds and halogenated aliphatics. These diverse bacteria are an important global methane sink and this importance is set to increase as anthropogenic emissions increase over the coming decades.