Methanogenic transformation of methylfurfural compounds to furfural.

The metabolic conversion of 5-methylfurfural and 2-methylfurfural to furfural by a methanogenic bacterium, Methanococcus sp. strain B, was studied. This bacterium was found to use methylfurfural compounds as a growth substrate and to convert them stoichiometrically to furfural. For every mole of methylfurfurals metabolized, almost 1 mol of furfural and 0.7 mol of methane were produced. Several methanogenic bacteria did not carry out this conversion. The metabolic conversion of methylfurfurals is likely to be of value in the anaerobic treatment of methylfurfural-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 as electron donors for methanogenesis.