Abstract
The global transition towards sustainable energy necessitates rapid innovations in renewable technology, with biomethanation emerging as a promising approach. Methanogenic archaea, notably Methanothermobacter marburgensis, play a pivotal role in the biogenesis of biomethane as a renewable energy vector. This research introduces a new second-generation Simultaneous Bioreactor System (SBRS-II), a high-pressure cultivation platform engineered to optimize microbial gas fermentation. A novel sulfate-based growth medium (MM-CF-S) was formulated to substitute conventional chloride salts, thereby minimizing corrosion risks in steel reactors and eliminating the toxic compound NiCl(2)·6 H(2)O, which enhances safety during large-scale deployment. Comparative analyses indicate that the new medium markedly boosts methane production rates, attaining a maximum of 285.86 ± 22.94 mmol L(-1) h(-1), approximately doubling the baseline. Additionally, metrics of biomass accumulation and specific methane productivity observed improvements, with [Formula: see text] reaching 216.85 ± 17.54 mmol g(-1) h(-1). The sulfate medium also preserved pH stability under high-pressure conditions, ensuring physiological viability essential for M. marburgensis proliferation. Integration of the SBRS-II platform with the MM-CF-S medium signifies a significant advancement toward scalable, efficient biomethanation technologies, highlighting the potential of methanogenic archaea in renewable energy applications and establishing a foundation for further process optimization to meet industrial-scale demands.