Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Dec 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2009 Nov 10;20(6):623–632. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2009.10.001

Table 1.

Reactions involved in syntrophic metabolism.

Reactions ΔG°, a (kJ mol−1) ΔG′ b (kJ mol−1)
Hydrogenotrophic Methanogenesis
4 H2 + HCO3− + H+ → CH4 + 3 H2O −135.6 −38.6
Syntrophic Oxidations
Propionate− + 3 H2O → Acetate− + HCO3− + H+ + 3 H2 +76.1 −1.5
Butyrate− + 2 H2O → 2 Acetate− + H+ + 2 H2 +48.6 −31.2
Benzoate− + 7 H2O → 3 Acetate− + HCO3− + 3 H+ + 3 H2 +70.1 −56.6
a

Calculated from the data in [54].

b

Calculated on the basis of the following conditions observed in methanogenic ecosystems: 10 Pa of H2, 50 kPa of CH4, 50 mM bicarbonate, 50 μM acetate, and 100 μM of each substrate.