[Copper in methane oxidation: a review].

Methane bio-oxidation plays an important role in the global methane balance and warming mitigation, while copper has a crucial function in methane bio-oxidation. On one side, copper is known to be a key factor in regulating the expression of the genes encoding the two forms of methane monooxygenases (MMOs) and is the essential metal element of the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO). On the other side, the content and fractionation of copper in the environment have great effects on the distribution of methanotrophs and their metabolic capability of methane and non-methane organic compounds, as well as on the copper-specific uptake systems in methanotrophs. Thus, it is meaningful to know the role of copper in methane bio-oxidation for comprehensive understanding of this process and is valuable for guiding the application of methanotrophs in greenhouse gas removal and pollution remediation. In this paper, the roles of copper in methane oxidation were reviewed, including the effect of copper on methanotrophic community structure and activity, the expression and activity of MMOs as well as the copper uptake systems in methanotrophs. The future studies of copper and methane oxidation were also discussed.

Evaluation of simultaneous biodegradation of methane and toluene in landfill covers.

The biodegradation of CH4 and toluene in landfill cover soil (LCS) and waste biocover soil (WBS) was investigated with a serial toluene concentration in the headspace of landfill cover microcosms in this study. Compared with the LCS sample, the higher CH4 oxidation activity and toluene-degrading capacity occurred in the WBS sample. The co-existence of toluene in landfill gas would positively or negatively affect CH4 oxidation, mainly depending on the toluene concentrations and exposure time. The nearly complete inhibition of toluene on CH4 oxidation was observed in the WBS sample at the toluene concentration of ∼ 80,000 mg m(-3), which was about 10 times higher than that in the LCS sample. The toluene degradation rates in both landfill covers fitted well with the Michaelis-Menten model. These findings showed that WBS was a good alternative landfill cover material to simultaneously mitigate emissions of CH4 and toluene from landfills to the atmosphere.

Effects of ammonium on the activity and community of methanotrophs in landfill biocover soils.

The influence of NH4(+) on microbial CH4 oxidation is still poorly understood in landfill cover soils. In this study, effects of NH4(+) addition on the activity and community structure of methanotrophs were investigated in waste biocover soil (WBS) treated by a series of NH4(+)-N contents (0, 100, 300, 600 and 1200mgkg(-1)). The results showed that the addition of NH4(+)-N ranging from 100 to 300mgkg(-1) could stimulate CH4 oxidation in the WBS samples at the first stage of activity, while the addition of an NH4(+)-N content of 600mgkg(-1) had an inhibitory effect on CH4 oxidation in the first 4 days. The decrease of CH4 oxidation rate observed in the last stage of activity could be caused by nitrogen limitation and/or exopolymeric substance accumulation. Type I methanotrophs Methylocaldum and Methylobacter, and type II methanotrophs (Methylocystis and Methylosinus) were abundant in the WBS samples. Of these, Methylocaldum was the main methanotroph in the original WBS. With incubation, a higher abundance of Methylobacter was observed in the treatments with NH4(+)-N contents greater than 300mgkg(-1), which suggested that NH4(+)-N addition might lead to the dominance of Methylobacter in the WBS samples. Compared to type I methanotrophs, the abundance of type II methanotrophs Methylocystis and/or Methylosinus was lower in the original WBS sample. An increase in the abundance of Methylocystis and/or Methylosinus occurred in the last stage of activity, and was likely due to a nitrogen limitation condition. Redundancy analysis showed that NH4(+)-N and the C/N ratio had a significant influence on the methanotrophic community in the WBS sample.

Diversity and activity of methanotrophs in landfill cover soils with and without landfill gas recovery systems.

Aerobic CH4 oxidation plays an important role in mitigating CH4 release from landfills to the atmosphere. Therefore, in this study, oxidation activity and community of methanotrophs were investigated in a subtropical landfill. Among the three sites investigated, the highest CH4 concentration was detected in the landfill cover soil of the site (A) without a landfill gas (LFG) recovery system, although the refuse in the site had been deposited for a longer time (∼14-15 years) compared to the other two sites (∼6-11 years) where a LFG recovery system was applied. In April and September, the higher CH4 flux was detected in site A with 72.4 and 51.7gm(-2)d(-1), respectively, compared to the other sites. The abundance of methanotrophs assessed by quantification of pmoA varied with location and season. A linear relationship was observed between the abundance of methanotrophs and CH4 concentrations in the landfill cover soils (R=0.827, P<0.001). The key factors influencing the methanotrophic diversity in the landfill cover soils were pH, the water content and the CH4 concentration in the soil, of which pH was the most important factor. Type I methanotrophs, including Methylococcus, Methylosarcina, Methylomicrobium and Methylobacter, and type II methanotrophs (Methylocystis) were all detected in the landfill cover soils, with Methylocystis and Methylosarcina being the dominant genera. Methylocystis was abundant in the slightly acidic landfill cover soil, especially in September, and represented more than 89% of the total terminal-restriction fragment abundance. These findings indicated that the LFG recovery system, as well as physical and chemical parameters, affected the diversity and activity of methanotrophs in landfill cover soils.