Acetic acid formation by acetogens from hydrogen and CO2:dissolution of carbonates and competition by methanogens

atmire.migration.oldid2317
dc.contributor.advisorVoordouw, Gerrit
dc.contributor.authorRollick, Lindsay
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-11T17:24:37Z
dc.date.available2014-11-17T08:00:37Z
dc.date.issued2014-07-11
dc.date.submitted2014en
dc.description.abstractMethane-producing archea (methanogens) and bacteria that produce acetic acid from H2 and CO2 (acetogens) exist in many low nutrient environments where other electron acceptors are absent. Methanogens usually outcompete acetogens because of a more powerful energy production but recent evidence suggests that acetogens may be able to compete through greater substrate diversity and energy efficiency (Lever 2012). Acetogenesis could be adapted as a biotechnology to induce carbonate dissolution in carbonate oil reservoirs. Enrichments were conducted on the subsurface production waters from a conventional oil field. Variations in medium composition were tested to promote acetogenesis over methanogenesis. High levels of acetic acid of up to 2400 μmol or 28 mM were produced and the consumed along with various levels of methane. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences show a progression from dominance of acetogenesis to methanogenesis and then a shift to a group of microbes that consume acetate to create biopolymers like polyhydroxybutyrate for storage of carbon in nutrient-limited environments. Factors that increase acetic acid production include ultra-low nutrient environments, sufficient pH buffering, not adding bicarbonate, and possibly increased surface area. Dissolution via microbial acetic acid was tested for powdered CaCO3, crushed and solid carbon rock but results are inconclusive. Acetogens can be competitive with methanogens under the lowest nutrient conditions. The excess of the H2/CO2 energy and carbon substrates used in these experiments along with differences seen in nutrient variation suggest that conditions other than substrate availability can influence this competition. Sampling loss, re-precipitation and other experimental factors make carbonate dissolution mediated by microbial acetic acid difficult to track.en_US
dc.identifier.citationRollick, L. (2014). Acetic acid formation by acetogens from hydrogen and CO2:dissolution of carbonates and competition by methanogens (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24657en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/24657
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/1624
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEcology
dc.subjectMicrobiology
dc.subjectBiogeochemistry
dc.titleAcetic acid formation by acetogens from hydrogen and CO2:dissolution of carbonates and competition by methanogens
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineBiological Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ucalgary_2014_rollick_lindsay.pdf
Size:
3.72 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.65 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: