Biological compositions for the production of functionally consistent products

Abstract

Several embodiments of the invention relate generally to a system and methods for the treatment of gaseous emissions comprising methane and one or more non-methane compounds that can influence the metabolism of methane-oxidizing microorganisms. In several embodiments, there is provided a system and methods for the treatment of methane emissions through the use of methanotrophic microorganisms to generate functionally consistent and harvestable products. Certain embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous because they reduce environmentally-destructive methane emissions and produce harvestable end-products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing methane emissions for the production of a harvestable product, comprising:
 providing a gaseous emission comprising methane;   providing methantrophic microorganisms; and   exposing said methanotrophic microorganisms to said gaseous emission,   wherein said methanotrophic microorganism use at least a portion of said methane as a source of carbon or energy; and   wherein said methanotrophic microorganisms produce a harvestable product after using said methane as a source of carbon or energy.