Project properties

Title Biological Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Drinking Water Production
Group Environmental Technology, Sub-department of
Project type thesis
Credits 30
Supervisor(s) Andrii Butkovskyi
Examiner(s) Huub H.M. Rijnaarts, Andrii Butkovskyi
Contact info Andrii.Butkovskyi@wur.nl
Begin date 2015/11/02
End date 2016/04/30
Description Background

Ground water is one of the sources for drinking water production in the Netherlands. It usually contains diluted methane, which must be removed before the distribution of the drinking water to the final consumers. The concentration of methane in groundwater is typically below 1 mg/l, which makes its recovery economically unfeasible. Currently methane is removed by air stripping and is vented to the atmosphere. However, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. Its dissipation to the atmosphere is against the incentives of drinking water companies to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, conversion of CH4 to less harmful substances will be preferred over its stripping to the atmosphere.

Proposed research

Biological removal of methane directly from groundwater is proposed as a problem solution. Methane removal from groundwater can be installed as a first step of the water production process before possible methane stripping occurs during water production. The literature study done by internship student at WLN showed that the aerobic methane oxidation is the only viable option. Dosing of pure oxygen instead of air can overcome possible oxygen limitations in the reactor. However, aerobic biological methane removal with pure oxygen was never practically implemented for methane removal from groundwater.

Objective of the research

Determine practical applicability of the aerobic methane oxidation with pure oxygen in the groundwater for drinking water production.
Used skills
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