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Oxidative Medicine and Cellular... 2018Methane, the simplest organic compound, was deemed to have little physiological action for decades. However, recently, many basic studies have discovered that methane... (Review)
Review
Methane, the simplest organic compound, was deemed to have little physiological action for decades. However, recently, many basic studies have discovered that methane has several important biological effects that can protect cells and organs from inflammation, oxidant, and apoptosis. Heretofore, there are two delivery methods that have been applied to researches and have been proved to be feasible, including the inhalation of methane gas and injection with the methane-rich saline. This review studies on the clinical development of methane and discusses about the mechanism behind these protective effects. As a new field in gas medicine, this study also comes up with some problems and prospects on methane and further studies.
Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Humans; Methane
PubMed: 29743971
DOI: 10.1155/2018/1912746 -
Nature Nov 2019Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is targeted for emissions mitigation by the US state of California and other jurisdictions worldwide. Unique opportunities for...
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is targeted for emissions mitigation by the US state of California and other jurisdictions worldwide. Unique opportunities for mitigation are presented by point-source emitters-surface features or infrastructure components that are typically less than 10 metres in diameter and emit plumes of highly concentrated methane. However, data on point-source emissions are sparse and typically lack sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to guide their mitigation and to accurately assess their magnitude. Here we survey more than 272,000 infrastructure elements in California using an airborne imaging spectrometer that can rapidly map methane plumes. We conduct five campaigns over several months from 2016 to 2018, spanning the oil and gas, manure-management and waste-management sectors, resulting in the detection, geolocation and quantification of emissions from 564 strong methane point sources. Our remote sensing approach enables the rapid and repeated assessment of large areas at high spatial resolution for a poorly characterized population of methane emitters that often appear intermittently and stochastically. We estimate net methane point-source emissions in California to be 0.618 teragrams per year (95 per cent confidence interval 0.523-0.725), equivalent to 34-46 per cent of the state's methane inventory for 2016. Methane 'super-emitter' activity occurs in every sector surveyed, with 10 per cent of point sources contributing roughly 60 per cent of point-source emissions-consistent with a study of the US Four Corners region that had a different sectoral mix. The largest methane emitters in California are a subset of landfills, which exhibit persistent anomalous activity. Methane point-source emissions in California are dominated by landfills (41 per cent), followed by dairies (26 per cent) and the oil and gas sector (26 per cent). Our data have enabled the identification of the 0.2 per cent of California's infrastructure that is responsible for these emissions. Sharing these data with collaborating infrastructure operators has led to the mitigation of anomalous methane-emission activity.
Topics: California; Environmental Monitoring; Greenhouse Effect; Manure; Methane; Natural Gas; Oil and Gas Industry; Petroleum; Waste Management; Wastewater
PubMed: 31695210
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1720-3 -
Annual Review of Marine Science 2011Our knowledge of physical, chemical, geological and biological processes affecting methane in the ocean and in underlying sediments is expanding at a rapid pace. On... (Review)
Review
Our knowledge of physical, chemical, geological and biological processes affecting methane in the ocean and in underlying sediments is expanding at a rapid pace. On first inspection, marine methane biogeochemistry appears simple: Methane distribution in sediment is set by the deposition pattern of organic material, and the balance of sources and sinks keeps its concentration low in most waters. However, recent research reveals that methane is affected by complex biogeochemical processes whose interactions are understood only at a superficial level. Such processes span the deep-subsurface, near subsurface, and ocean waters, and relate primarily to the production, consumption, and transport of methane. The purpose of this synthesis is to examine select processes within the framework of methane biogeochemistry, to formulate hypotheses on how they might operate and interact with one another, and to consider their controls.
Topics: Ecosystem; Euryarchaeota; Geological Phenomena; Methane; Oceans and Seas
PubMed: 21329202
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-120709-142734 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Feb 2022[Figure: see text].
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Bioresource Technology Aug 2021Syngas from gasification of waste biomass is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO), and hydrogen (H), which can be utilized for the synthesis of...
Syngas from gasification of waste biomass is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO), and hydrogen (H), which can be utilized for the synthesis of biofuels such as methane (CH). The aim of the study research work was to demonstrate how syngas could be methanated and upgraded to natural gas quality (biomethane) in a fed-batch trickle-bed reactor system using either manure - (AD-M) or sludge-based (AD-WW) inoculum as microbial basis. The methanated syngas had a high concentration of CO and did not fulfil the criteria for natural gas quality biomethane. Further upgrading of syngas to biomethane could be achieved simultaneously in the same reactors by addition of exogenous H resulting in CH concentrations up to 91.0 ± 3.5% (AD-WW) and 95.3 ± 1.0% (AD-M). Microbial analysis indicated that the communities differed between AD-M and AD-WW demonstrating functional redundancy among the microbial communities of different inocula.
Topics: Biofuels; Bioreactors; Carbon Dioxide; Hydrogen; Methane; Sewage
PubMed: 33895671
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125183 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Feb 2024The unprecedented population and anthropogenic activity rise have challenged the future look up for shifts in global temperature and climate patterns. Anthropogenic... (Review)
Review
The unprecedented population and anthropogenic activity rise have challenged the future look up for shifts in global temperature and climate patterns. Anthropogenic activities such as land fillings, building dams, wetlands converting to lands, combustion of biomass, deforestation, mining, and the gas and coal industries have directly or indirectly increased catastrophic methane (CH) emissions at an alarming rate. Methane is 25 times more potent trapping heat when compared to carbon dioxide (CO) in the atmosphere. A rise in atmospheric methane, on a 20-year time scale, has an impact of 80 times greater than that of CO. With increased population growth, waste generation is rising and is predicted to reach 6 Mt by 2025. CH emitted from landfills is a significant source that accounts for 40% of overall global methane emissions. Various mitigation and emissions reduction strategies could significantly reduce the global CH burden at a cost comparable to the parallel and necessary CO reduction measures, reversing the CH burden to pathways that achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. CH mitigation directly benefits climate change, has collateral impacts on the economy, human health, and agriculture, and considerably supports CO mitigation. Utilizing the CO from the environment, methanogens produce methane and lower their carbon footprint. NGOs and the general public should act on time to overcome atmospheric methane emissions by utilizing the raw source for producing carbon-neutral fuel. However, more research potential is required for green energy production and to consider investigating the untapped potential of methanogens for dependable energy generation.
Topics: Humans; Climate Change; Carbon Dioxide; Biodiversity; Temperature; Methane
PubMed: 37884720
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30601-w -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Jan 2014The growing demand for sustainable animal production is compelling researchers to explore the potential approaches to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from livestock... (Review)
Review
The growing demand for sustainable animal production is compelling researchers to explore the potential approaches to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from livestock that are mainly produced by enteric fermentation. Some potential solutions, for instance, the use of chemical inhibitors to reduce methanogenesis, are not feasible in routine use due to their toxicity to ruminants, inhibition of efficient rumen function or other transitory effects. Strategies, such as use of plant secondary metabolites and dietary manipulations have emerged to reduce the methane emission, but these still require extensive research before these can be recommended and deployed in the livestock industry sector. Furthermore, immunization vaccines for methanogens and phages are also under investigation for mitigation of enteric methanogenesis. The increasing knowledge of methanogenic diversity in rumen, DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have paved the way for chemogenomic strategies by targeting methane producers. Chemogenomics will help in finding target enzymes and proteins, which will further assist in the screening of natural as well chemical inhibitors. The construction of a methanogenic gene catalogue through these approaches is an attainable objective. This will lead to understand the microbiome function, its relation with the host and feeds, and therefore, will form the basis of practically viable and eco-friendly methane mitigation approaches, while improving the ruminant productivity.
Topics: Animals; Methane; Ruminants
PubMed: 24247990
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-5365-0 -
Astrobiology Dec 2017Methane on Mars is a topic of special interest because of its potential association with microbial life. The variable detections of methane by the Curiosity rover,...
Methane on Mars is a topic of special interest because of its potential association with microbial life. The variable detections of methane by the Curiosity rover, orbiters, and terrestrial telescopes, coupled with methane's short lifetime in the martian atmosphere, may imply an active gas source in the planet's subsurface, with migration and surface emission processes similar to those known on Earth as "gas seepage." Here, we review the variety of subsurface processes that could result in methane seepage on Mars. Such methane could originate from abiotic chemical reactions, thermogenic alteration of abiotic or biotic organic matter, and ancient or extant microbial metabolism. These processes can occur over a wide range of temperatures, in both sedimentary and igneous rocks, and together they enhance the possibility that significant amounts of methane could have formed on early Mars. Methane seepage to the surface would occur preferentially along faults and fractures, through focused macro-seeps and/or diffuse microseepage exhalations. Our work highlights the types of features on Mars that could be associated with methane release, including mud-volcano-like mounds in Acidalia or Utopia; proposed ancient springs in Gusev Crater, Arabia Terra, and Valles Marineris; and rims of large impact craters. These could have been locations of past macro-seeps and may still emit methane today. Microseepage could occur through faults along the dichotomy or fractures such as those at Nili Fossae, Cerberus Fossae, the Argyre impact, and those produced in serpentinized rocks. Martian microseepage would be extremely difficult to detect remotely yet could constitute a significant gas source. We emphasize that the most definitive detection of methane seepage from different release candidates would be best provided by measurements performed in the ground or at the ground-atmosphere interface by landers or rovers and that the technology for such detection is currently available. Key Words: Mars-Methane-Seepage-Clathrate-Fischer-Tropsch-Serpentinization. Astrobiology 17, 1233-1264.
Topics: Atmosphere; Extraterrestrial Environment; Mars; Methane; Temperature; Water
PubMed: 28771029
DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1657 -
Environmental Science & Technology Jun 2012Methane is the most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, with particular influence on near-term climate change. It poses increasing risk in the future from... (Review)
Review
Methane is the most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, with particular influence on near-term climate change. It poses increasing risk in the future from both direct anthropogenic sources and potential rapid release from the Arctic. A range of mitigation (emissions control) technologies have been developed for anthropogenic sources that can be developed for further application, including to Arctic sources. Significant gaps in understanding remain of the mechanisms, magnitude, and likelihood of rapid methane release from the Arctic. Methane may be released by several pathways, including lakes, wetlands, and oceans, and may be either uniform over large areas or concentrated in patches. Across Arctic sources, bubbles originating in the sediment are the most important mechanism for methane to reach the atmosphere. Most known technologies operate on confined gas streams of 0.1% methane or more, and may be applicable to limited Arctic sources where methane is concentrated in pockets. However, some mitigation strategies developed for rice paddies and agricultural soils are promising for Arctic wetlands and thawing permafrost. Other mitigation strategies specific to the Arctic have been proposed but have yet to be studied. Overall, we identify four avenues of research and development that can serve the dual purposes of addressing current methane sources and potential Arctic sources: (1) methane release detection and quantification, (2) mitigation units for small and remote methane streams, (3) mitigation methods for dilute (<1000 ppm) methane streams, and (4) understanding methanotroph and methanogen ecology.
Topics: Arctic Regions; Likelihood Functions; Methane; Wetlands
PubMed: 22594483
DOI: 10.1021/es204686w -
Nature Nov 1995
Topics: Euryarchaeota; Fossil Fuels; Gases; Geological Phenomena; Geology; Methane; North Dakota
PubMed: 11536708
DOI: 10.1038/378338a0