Publié le 28 mai 2025 - Mis à jour le 11 juin 2025

Karima FIGUIGUI

Coordonnées

Laboratoire Microorganismes Génome et Environnement 1 Impasse Amélie Murat, 63178 Aubière Cedex France

Thèmes de recherche

PhD project: Advances in sustainable methane production through innovative ambient-temperature biological methanation 
Abstract: Biological methanation represents a cutting-edge approach in the energy transition, providing a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. This process utilizes the metabolic activity of hydrogenotrophic methanogenic archaea to convert CO₂ and H₂ into methane. However, a major limitation lies in the thermophilic nature of most industrial archaea, requiring energy-intensive high-temperature conditions and increasing operational costs.

This research project proposes a breakthrough approach developing ambient-temperature biological methanation by harnessing the unique microbial biodiversity of Lake Pavin, a fresh water meromictic lake in France’s Massif Central with anomalously high natural methane production. Unlike conventional systems, this project focuses on isolating and characterizing psychrotolerant methanogens from the lake, alongside organic-degrading bacteria, to create a high-performance synthetic microbial consortium. This approach circumvents the thermodynamic limitations of conventional systems, potentially enabling energy-efficient biogas upgrading under ambient conditions.