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Methanogenic Bacteria - This group of bacteria converts acetate, and CO2 + H2 into methane. Thus methanogens remove the H2 produced by obligate H2 producing bacteria, thereby lowering the H2 partial pressure and enabling the latter to continue producing H2. Methanogenic bacteria are the strictest possible anaerobes known.

They may occur up to 106-108 cell/ml of the slurry in digesters. These belong to the new kingdom called Archaebacteria and oxidise H2 by reducing CO2 to obtain energy. Examples of methanogenic bacteria are Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium omelianskii, etc.

4H2 + CO2- CH4 + 2H2O ( ∆Gº = -139 kJ/mol)