Combination effects of nitrocompounds, pyromellitic diimide, and 2-bromoethanesulfonate on in vitro ruminal methane production and fermentation of a grain-rich feed.

An L(16) (4(5)) orthogonal experimental design was used to evaluate combination effects of nitroethane (0-15 mM), 2-nitroethanol (0-15 mM), 2-nitro-1-propanol (0-15 mM), pyromellitic diimide (0-0.07 mM), and 2-bromoethanesulfonate (0-0.05 mM) on in vitro ruminal fermentation of a grain-rich feed. In vitro dry matter disappearance was adversely affected by these inhibitors, while cumulative gas production was not affected. Volatile fatty acid production was increased by nitroethane and 2-bromoethanesulfonate in a dose-dependent manner and was decreased by 2-nitroethanol and pyromellitic diimide. All inhibitor treatments increased the molar acetate proportion, while decreasing proportions of propionate and butyrate; hydrogen recovery was decreased by 36.9-45.2%; and methane production was reduced by 95.2-99.2%. The methanogenesis inhibition ranked: nitroethane > 2-nitroethanol > 2-nitro-1-propanol > 2-bromoethanesulfonate > pyromellitic diimide; combined concentrations of 5, 5, 5, 0.02, and 0.03 mM, respectively, gave the optimal inhibiting efficiency. These results may provide a reference to develop effective mitigation of methane emission from ruminants.