Trends in bioenergy: from the metagenoma of habitats rich in sulfur to the purification of biogas

Abstract

A large amount of wastes is generated by agro-industry and can be valorized to obtain useful products with higher added value, thus reducing environmental impact. There are alternatives to valorize these wastes and the production of bioenergy has been a great precedent, from the production of biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas that is possible by the use of biomass. Biogas production by methanogenesis is an alternative for the generating biofuels and energy. However, a problem arises during biogas production due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide (and other compounds), which is toxic and can damage the biogas plant (up concentrations of 658 ppmv), increase SOx emissions and inhibit the fermentation process of biogas production, so it is necessary to eliminate them. The biological removal method of this compound is included, by oxidization through microorganisms. The objective of this review is to expose the trends in the use of the microorganisms mentioned in environmental biotechnology, particularly their role in biogas purification.