6 ms·

Bromoform kills methanogens.

• fratlas 8y ago
  Dumb question. Could Bromoform be put in the existing feed?
  • chaseha 8y ago
    Also wondering this. The article mentions the difficult problem of scaling up red algae farming - could the active ingredient not be synthesized commercially and added to feed that way? edit, from Wikipedia: "The substance may be hazardous to the environment, and special attention should be given to aquatic organisms. Its volatility and environmental persistence makes bromoform's release, either as liquid or vapor, strongly inadvisable. ... Bromoform is a confirmed animal carcinogen" Although I presume the bromoform binds to the enzymes and/or otherwise reacts in the stomach, as usual there are pros and cons associated with this sort of thing
• HillaryBriss 8y ago
  interesting info about Bromoform from Wikipedia: Bromoform is the main trihalomethane produced in beachfront salt water swimming pools with concentrations as high as 1.2 ppm (parts per million). Concentrations in freshwater pools are 1000 times lower. Occupational skin exposure limits are set at 0.5 ppm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromoform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromoform i wonder if any of the bromine winds up in the cow's milk or meat
  • John_KZ 8y ago
    Also there's no info on the nutritional uptake of the cows. Killing the methane-producing bacteria could potentially mean killing the digestive powerhouse of the animal.
    • the8472 8y ago
      It does not kill the methane-producing bacteria, it just inhibits a specific enzymatic pathway.