Technology

Research done at the sub-department of Environmental Technology

The research at the sub-department of Environmental Technology of Wageningen University is focused on sustainable solutions for worldwide environmental problems. The approach is to combine several disciplines in order to achieve innovations in environmental solutions. Relevant disciplines are biotechnology, microbiology, chemistry and reactor technology.

The use of biological sulfate reduction for the treatment of waste streams containing sulfur compounds has been studied at the sub-department since 1993. In 2004, research was started about anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to sulfate reduction. The research aims to develop a sulfate reduction process with methane as electron donor.

To obtain this goal four steps have to be taken:

• The first step is to find a source for anaerobic methane-oxidizing organisms. Therefore biomass from existing bioreactors and mainre sediments are screened for AMO activity.
• The second step is to grow these AMO-organisms in a bioreactor fed with methane and sulfate. For this a well-mixed continuous system with complete cell-retention was developed.
• The third step is to optimize the conversion in order to gain higher conversion rates. In addition biological kinetic parameters will be determined.
• The final step is to develop a suitable bioreactor system taken into account the physical-chemical parameters, like mass transfer, and the biological kinetics.

Figure 1: Retrieval of marine AMO-sediment

Figure 2: Batch incubations with methane for the determination of anaerobic methane oxidation rates

Figure 3: Bioreactors to enrich for anaerobic methane-oxidizing organisms

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