Date of Award

8-2021

Degree Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Ronald Sims (Committee Chair)

Committee

Ronald Sims

Committee

Judith Sims

Committee

Charles Miller

Abstract

Anthropogenic methane emissions are harmful to the environment and can be difficult to treat. Use of M. alcaliphilum for bioremediation of methane looks to be one of the most promising methods of reducing the negative environmental impacts of methane emissions while simultaneously providing an economic incentive. Successful bioreactor design for M. alcaliphilum based methane treatment requires biokinetic constants and microbial growth information. Methods were established for determining biokinetic constants, including growth rate, biomass yield, specific methane consumption rate, and a correlation between methane oxidation and carbon dioxide production for M. alcaliphilum. Values determined for these constants were used to provide a preliminary engineering design for treating methane emissions from the North Valley Landfill in Cache County, Utah.

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