Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How bacteria from food waste remove smelly gases like methanethiol
By Zhang C et al.·2026·Institute of Environmental Science, China·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Synergistic removal of methanethiol and other odorant gases by a metabolically complementary synthetic consortia isolated from food waste.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how certain bacteria can help remove bad-smelling gases, specifically methanethiol, which is a sulfur compound that can be harmful to the environment. Researchers found three types of bacteria from food waste that could remove more than 40% of methanethiol. When they combined two of these bacteria, they achieved an impressive 87.2% removal of methanethiol and completely eliminated ammonia after six days. Another combination of all three bacteria was even more effective, showing over 94% removal of methanethiol. Overall, the findings suggest that using these bacteria together could be a good way to manage odors in waste systems.
Abstract
Methanethiol (MeSH), a typical volatile sulfur compound, contributes significantly to environmental malodor and poses ecological risks. In this study, three bacterial strains capable of MeSH removal efficiencies exceeding 40% were isolated from food waste. These strains were taxonomically identified asAgrobacterium cavarae,Mycolicibacterium neoaurum, andPseudomonas qingdaonensis. Metagenomic annotation by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that all strains possess key enzymes for the methionine and cysteine metabolism pathway, suggesting potential for MeSH degradation. In binary consortia, the combination of A. cavarae R1 and P. qingdaonensis CF (5:1 ratio) exhibited the optimal degradation performance, achieving removal efficiency of 87.2% for MeSH, 98.7% for H<sub>2</sub>S, and complete NH<sub>3</sub> elimination (100%) after a 6-day cultivation. Among ternary consortia, the A. cavarae R1/M. neoaurum CD/ P. qingdaonensis CF combination at 3:2:1 and 3:1:2 ratios demonstrated superior removal efficiency for all three target odorants. Specifically, the 3:2:1 ratio consortium achieved 94.7% MeSH degradation, while the 3:1:2 ratio showd 91.7% NH<sub>3</sub> removal efficiency. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using composite microbial agents for odor control in waste management systems.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41771404