METHANOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF METHYLFURFURAL COMPOUNDS TO FURFURAL

The metabolic conversion of 5-methylfurfural and 2-methylfurfural to f urfural by a methanogenic bacterium, Methanococcus sp. strain B, was s tudied. This bacterium was found to use methylfurfural compounds as a growth substrate and to convert them stoichiometrically to furfural. F or every mole of methylfurfurals metabolized, almost 1 mol of furfural and 0.7 mol of methane were produced. Several methanogenic bacteria d id not carry out this conversion. The metabolic conversion of methylfu rfurals is likely to be of value in the anaerobic treatment of methylf urfural-containing wastewaters such as those produced by the paper and pulp industries and oatmeal processing industries. This study adds to the list of the limited number of compounds that are known to serve a s electron donors for methanogenesis.