Abstract
GAS chromatography has been applied to the analysis of gases formed during methane fermentations1. It appeared to us that this technique could be used successfully for observing the mechanism of methane formation. Knowledge of the biochemistry of methane-producing bacteria is still superficial in many respects. Early observations of Söhngen2 showed the possibility of the fermentation of a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen by enrichment cultures of some anaerobic bacteria. These micro-organisms could couple the oxidation of hydrogen with the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane. More recently, Barker3 had discussed the mechanisms by which carbon dioxide could be the precursor of methane.
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References
Grune, W. N., and Peek, jun., R. C., Waste Engineering, 29, 354 (1958). Chmielowski, J., and Isaac, P. C. G., Fourth Internat. Cong. Biochem., Vienna, 1958; Abst. of Communic., 200.
Söhngen, N. L., Rec. Trav. Chim., 29, 238 (1910).
Barker, H. A., Indust. Eng. Chem., 48, 1438 (1956).
Lovelock, J. E., J. Chromatography, 1, 35 (1958).
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CHMIELOWSKI, J., ISAAC, P. Gas-Chromatographic Observation of the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methane during Anaerobic Digestion. Nature 183, 1120–1121 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1831120a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1831120a0
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