Development of biogas generation system with methanogenic biocatalyst

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19092
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nuclear engineering, Earth resources engineering, Energy engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kaneko Masanori 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 地質調査総合センター, 主任研究員 (80633239)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 辻村 清也 筑波大学, 数理物質系, 准教授 (30362429)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: メタン生成アーキア / メタン精製補酵素 / 電気化学 / メタン生成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Coenzyme F430 is a key compound for microbial methanogenesis. In this study, we developed a new biogas generation system in which coenzyme F430 is electrochemically activated and used as a biocatalyst for methanation. Coenzyme F430 extracted and purified from methanogenic archaea was successfully activated on a working electrode and methane was produced from CH3-S-CoM which is a substrate for coenzyme F430 in vivo reaction. We revealed unrecognized functions of coenzyme F430 catalyzing methanation from various chemical species including alkylthioethylphosphonate, dialkylsulfide, alcoxycompounds, and alkyl halides.

Free Research Field

生物地球化学、有機地球化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成功は、「太陽エネルギーを化学エネルギー（メタン）に変換する技術の創出」と従来のバイオガス生産システムに置き換わる革新的メタン生成システムの創製を意味する。わずか10kgの補酵素F430で年間最大160万トンのバイオガス生産が可能になり、我が国のエネルギー自給率向上と持続可能な社会の実現への貢献につながる。