Gas-chromatography system for studies into the ecology and biochemistry of methanotrophic bacteria

甲烷是造成温室效应的第二大大气气体。它也是一种清洁的替代燃料。因此，环境和工业科学家对以甲烷为食物来源的细菌非常感兴趣。这些细菌可以通过控制来减少自然或人为环境产生的大气甲烷排放，从而减少全球变暖。它们还能够破坏一些环境污染物，如三氯乙烯，因此它们也具有生物技术潜力。我们计划在加拿大一些重要的生态系统中，如北部湿地、工业尾矿和森林土壤中研究甲烷营养细菌的生态学和遗传学。这项工作需要在现场和实验室通过气相色谱法精确测量甲烷、氧气、二氧化碳和其他气体。通过测量土壤和沉积物中的这些气体，可以确定强烈的甲烷氧化活动区域。对甲烷营养细菌生长的实验室研究还需要监测它们产生或消耗的气体化合物：甲烷、氧气、二氧化碳、污染物和氧化亚氮。

Methane is the second most important atmospheric gas contributing to the greenhouse effect. It is also a clean alternative fuel. Bacteria that consume methane as a food source are therefore of great interest to environmental and industrial scientists. These bacteria may be manipulated to reduce atmospheric methane emissions from natural or man-made environments, and thereby reduce global warming. They are also able to destroy some environmental pollutants such as trichloroethylene, so they have biotechnological potential as well. We plan to study the ecology and genetics of methanotrophic (methane-eating) bacteria in some important Canadian ecosystems such as northern wetlands, industrial tailings, and forest soils. This work requires the precise measurement by gas chromatography of methane, oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases in the field and in the laboratory. By measuring these gases in soils and sediments, it is possible to identify zones of strong methanotrophic activity. Laboratory studies into the growth of methanotrophic bacteria also require monitoring of gaseous compounds produced or consumed by them: methane, oxygen, carbon dioxide, pollutants, and nitrous oxide.