Estudio de la solubilización de metano en biomasa para su implementación en biofiltros fúngicos inoculados con bacterias metanotróficas
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2017
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es
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Universidad Andrés Bello
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Licencia CC
Resumen
La biofiltración es una alternativa económica y ambientalmente amigable, utilizada para tratar contaminantes gaseosos que de otro modo no pueden ser eliminados. Un problema en la biofiltración es su baja capacidad para eliminar gases poco solubles en agua como lo es el metano (CH4), segundo gas de efecto invernadero más importante, cuyo tratamiento o eliminación no es posible a bajas concentraciones por métodos convencionales. Este obstáculo puede ser superado, utilizando agentes fúngicos como soporte para el crecimiento y difusión de los contaminantes en microorganismos capaces de degradarlos. Este trabajo tuvo por objetivo determinar si existe un efecto en la solubilidad de metano cuando se varia la temperatura, la actividad de agua y la presencia de n-pentano, representado por el coeficiente de partición del metano en una biomasa formada por el hongo Fusarium solani y las bacterias metanotróficas Methylomicrobium album & Methylocystis sp., además de determinar la hidrofóbicidad superficial de éstos cuando son cultivados con metano y/o n-pentano como única fuente de carbono. El coeficiente de partición en la biomasa fue determinado a 20, 25 y 35 °C en actividades de agua de 0.8, 0.9 y 0.95, exponiéndola al contaminante en microcosmos por 24 [h] midiéndose la concentración inicial y final del compuesto mediante cromatografía gaseosa. Por su parte, la hidrofóbicidad superficial de los microorganismos fue determinada midiendo la humectabilidad de la superficie de la biomasa, estimado con el ángulo de contacto formado por una gota de agua sobre esta. Los resultados muestran que el coeficiente de partición de metano disminuye significativamente más en una biomasa fúngica y bacteriana que en estas por separado, llegando a ser 187 veces más baja que la obtenida en agua. También se observó que tanto el aumento de la temperatura y la actividad de agua como la presencia de n-pentano disminuyen la solubilidad de metano en la biomasa. Por otro lado, la biomasa más hidrófoba fue aquella compuesta por Fusarium solani expuesta a n-pentano, obteniéndose un ángulo de contacto de 46,41° de inclinación. Los resultados obtenidos permitirán establecer las condiciones operacionales idóneas para la puesta en marcha de un biofiltro fúngico/bacteriano para el tratamiento de metano.
Biofiltration is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative to treat gaseous pollutants that otherwise can not be eliminated. A problem in biofiltration is the low capacity to remove gases sparsely soluble in water (hydrophobic) such as methane (CH4), the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG), which can not be treated at low concentrations by conventional methods. This obstacle can be overcome with the use of fungal agents as a support for the growth and diffusion of pollutants in microorganisms capable of degrading them, a phenomenon that still requires extensive study. This work is aimed to determine if there is an effect on the solubility of methane when the temperature, water activity and n-pentane presence, represented by the partition coefficient of methane in a biomass formed by the fungus Fusarium solani and the methanotrophic bacteria Methylomicrobium album & Methylocystis sp., in addition to determining the surface hydrophobicity of these when they are cultivated with methane and / or n-pentane as the only carbón source. The partition coefficient in the biomass was determined at 20, 25 and 35 [°C] in water activities of 0.8, 0.9 and 0.95, exposing it to the contaminant in microcosms for 24 [h] and measuring the initial and final concentration of the compound by gas chromatography. On the other hand, the surface hydrophobicity of the microorganisms was determined by measuring the wettability of the biomass surface, estimating the contact angle formed by a drop of water in this biomass. The results showed that the methane partition coefficient decreases significantly more in a fungal and bacterial biomass than in these separately, reaching values 187 times lower than that obtained in water. It was also observed that both the increase in temperature and water activity and the presence of n-pentane decrease the solubility of methane in the biomass. On the other hand, the most hydrophobic biomass was that composed by Fusarium solani when exposed to n-pentane, obtaining a contact angle of 46.41°. This study and its results will allow to establish the ideal operational conditions for the implementation of a fungal / bacterial biofilter for methane.
Biofiltration is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative to treat gaseous pollutants that otherwise can not be eliminated. A problem in biofiltration is the low capacity to remove gases sparsely soluble in water (hydrophobic) such as methane (CH4), the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG), which can not be treated at low concentrations by conventional methods. This obstacle can be overcome with the use of fungal agents as a support for the growth and diffusion of pollutants in microorganisms capable of degrading them, a phenomenon that still requires extensive study. This work is aimed to determine if there is an effect on the solubility of methane when the temperature, water activity and n-pentane presence, represented by the partition coefficient of methane in a biomass formed by the fungus Fusarium solani and the methanotrophic bacteria Methylomicrobium album & Methylocystis sp., in addition to determining the surface hydrophobicity of these when they are cultivated with methane and / or n-pentane as the only carbón source. The partition coefficient in the biomass was determined at 20, 25 and 35 [°C] in water activities of 0.8, 0.9 and 0.95, exposing it to the contaminant in microcosms for 24 [h] and measuring the initial and final concentration of the compound by gas chromatography. On the other hand, the surface hydrophobicity of the microorganisms was determined by measuring the wettability of the biomass surface, estimating the contact angle formed by a drop of water in this biomass. The results showed that the methane partition coefficient decreases significantly more in a fungal and bacterial biomass than in these separately, reaching values 187 times lower than that obtained in water. It was also observed that both the increase in temperature and water activity and the presence of n-pentane decrease the solubility of methane in the biomass. On the other hand, the most hydrophobic biomass was that composed by Fusarium solani when exposed to n-pentane, obtaining a contact angle of 46.41°. This study and its results will allow to establish the ideal operational conditions for the implementation of a fungal / bacterial biofilter for methane.
Notas
Tesis (Ingeniero en Biotecnología)
Proyecto FONDECYT 1160220
Proyecto FONDECYT 1160220
Palabras clave
Metano, Bacterias Metanotróficas