Kinetics of methane oxidation in selected mineral soils

Abstract The kinetic parameters of methane oxidation in three mineral soils were measured under laboratory conditions. Incubationswere preceded by a 24-day preincubationwith 10%vol. of methane. All soils showed potential to the consumption of added methane. None of the soils, however, consumed atmospheric CH4. Methane oxidation followed the Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with relatively low values of parameters for Eutric Cambisol, while high values for Haplic Podzol, and especially for Mollic Gleysol which showed the highest methanotrophic activity and much lower affinity to methane. The high values of parameters for methane oxidation are typical for organic soils and mineral soils from landfill cover. The possibility of the involvement of nitrifying microorganisms, which inhabit the ammonia-fertilized agricultural soils should be verified.