The Climate, Environment and Energy Thread

[LP]

When methane burns in air there’s a fair bit of O available to produce carbon dioxide. In fact, AFAIK it won’t burn unless oxygen is present

So are you volunteering to light it, you'd do that just to prove your point?

I think the most common way methane reduces in the environment without some biology being involved is catalysis, and the end result is mostly methanol, acetic acid and a little CO[sub]2[/sub] on the side. But I hear you correctly noting, methanol and acetic acid are heavier than air, well at least that is how the scientists think Titan exists!

btw., Having had a quick chat with some boffins this morning to confirm my suspicions, I can relay that the catalysis of methane occurs in an anaerobic environment, forming methanol, formic acid, acetic acid, all useful chemicals used in industry and food production often with hydrogen as a by-product.

Scientists and engineers busy designing process that mimic what nature has been doing for millions of years, producing waste hydrogen that burns up in the air producing water, evil bastards aren't they causing all those floods!

anaerobic
1.
relating to or requiring an absence of free oxygen.
"anaerobic bacteria"