Biosynthesis of methanol from methane by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Methylosinus trichosporium</Emphasis> OB3b

Methanol has recently attracted significant interest in the energetic field. Current technology for the conversion of methane to methanol is based on energy intensive endothermic steam reforming followed by catalytic conversion into methanol. The one-step method performed at very low temperatures (35°C) is methane oxidation to methanol via bacteria. The aim of this work was to examine the role of copper in the one-step methane oxidation to methanol by utilizing whole cells of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b bacteria. From the results obtained it was found that copper concentration in the medium influences the rate of bacterial biomass growth or methanol production during the process of methane oxidation to methanol. The presented results indicate that the process of methane oxidation to methanol by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b bacteria is most efficient when the mineral medium contains 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol dm⁻³ of copper. Under these conditions, a satisfactory growth of biomass was also achieved. Presented at the 35th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 26–30 May 2008.