Kinetics of the methanogenic fermentation of acetate

The effect of anode potential on electrogenesis, methanogenesis and sulfidogenesis in a simulated sewer condition

Methane emissions from the sewer system are considered to be a non-negligible source of aggravating the greenhouse effect. Meanwhile, the sewer system has long been plagued by sulfide-induced corrosion problems. This study explored the possibility of using a bioelectrochemical system to intensify the competition between electroactive bacteria, methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria, thereby reducing the production of methane and sulfide. Dual-chamber bioelectrochemical reactors were constructed and operated in fed-batch mode with the coexistence of Electroactive bacteria, Methanogenic archaea and Sulfate-reducing bacteria. Acetate was supplied as the sole carbon source. The results indicated that electrogenesis induced by the anode potentials of -0.42 V and -0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) had advantages over methanogenesis and sulfidogenesis in consuming acetate. The stimulated electrogenesis by anode potentials resulted in a decrease in pH. Methane production was suppressed in the reactors with anode potentials of -0.42 and -0.2 V compared to open circuit controls. In contrast to methane, the capacity for sulfide production was facilitated in the reactors with the anode potentials of -0.42 V and -0.2 V compared to open circuit controls. 16s rRNA gene analysis showed that Geobacter was the most abundant genus on the anode biofilm in the anode potential-controlled reactor, while acetoclastic methanogens dominated in open circuit controls. Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina were the most abundant methanogens in open circuit controls. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the use of electrodes with anode potential control can help to control methane emissions, but could not yet prevent sulfide production, which requires further research.

The Control Strategy and Kinetics of VFAs Production in an ASBR Reactor Treating Low-Strength Mariculture Wastewater

As an environment-friendly wastewater treatment process, the anaerobic fermentation process has been widely used for the pretreatment of high-strength wastewater. However, it is rarely applied to treat low-strength wastewater due to low methane recovery. In this study, anaerobic fermentation treating low-strength mariculture wastewater was studied in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) with a COD removal rate of 75%. Anaerobic fermentation was successfully controlled at the acidification stage by increasing COD loading. As the greenhouse gas emission decreased, the residual organics were enough for biological nutrients’ removal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization results showed that the dominant bacteria in the ASBR were acidogenic bacteria and methanogens, accounting for 39.7% and 46.5% of the total bacteria, respectively. Through the calculation processing of the experimental data, the order of the anaerobic fermentation reaction was a second-order reaction. The kinetic parameters of low-strength organic wastewater treatment were determined by using the Grau second-order substrate removal model, Stover–Kincannon model, Monod model and Haldane model. The maximum rate removal constant U_max, sludge yield coefficient Y and inhibition constant K_i were 1.157 g/(L·d), 0.153 mgVSS/mgCOD and 670 mg/L, respectively. It provided data support for the practical application of the anaerobic fermentation treating low-strength wastewater.

Metabolic Regulation of Mesophilic Methanosarcina barkeri to Ammonium Inhibition

Undesirable ammonium concentrations can lead to unstable anaerobic digestion processes, and Methanosarcina spp. are the representative methanogens under inhibition. However, no known work seems to exist for directly exploring the detailed metabolic regulation of pure cultured representative Methanosarcina spp. to ammonium inhibition. We used transcriptomics and proteomics to profile the metabolic regulation of Methanosarcina barkeri to 1, 4, and 7 g N/L of total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN), where free ammonia concentrations were between 1.5 and 36.1 mg N/L. At the initial stages of ammonium inhibition, the genes participating in the acquisition and assimilation of reduced nitrogen sources showed significant upregulation where the minimal fold change of gene transcription was about 2. Apart from nitrogen metabolism, the transcription of some genes in methanogenesis also significantly increased at the initial stages. For example, the genes encoding alternative heterodisulfide reductase subunits (HdrAB), energy-converting hydrogenase subunit (EchC), and methanophenazine-dependent hydrogenase subunits (VhtAC) were significantly upregulated by at least 2.05 times. For the element translocation at the initial stages, the genes participating in the uptake of ferrous iron, potassium ion, and molybdate were significantly upregulated with a minimal fold change of 2.10. As the cultivation proceeded, the gene encoding the cell division protein subunit (FtsH) was significantly upregulated by 13.0 times at 7 g N/L of TAN; meanwhile, an increment in OD₆₀₀ was observed at the terminal sampling point of 7 g N/L of TAN. The present study explored the metabolic regulation of M. barkeri in stress response, protein synthesis, signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism, methanogenesis, and element translocation. The results would contribute to the understanding of the metabolic effects of ammonium inhibition on methanogens and have significant practical implication in inhibited anaerobic digestion.

The Historical Development of Cultivation Techniques for Methanogens and Other Strict Anaerobes and Their Application in Modern Microbiology

The cultivation and investigation of strictly anaerobic microorganisms belong to the fields of anaerobic microbial physiology, microbiology, and biotechnology. Anaerobic cultivation methods differ from classic microbiological techniques in several aspects. The requirement for special instruments, which are designed to prevent the contact of the specimen with air/molecular oxygen by different means of manipulation, makes this field more challenging for general research compared to working with aerobic microorganisms. Anaerobic microbiological methods are required for many purposes, such as for the isolation and characterization of new species and their physiological examination, as well as for anaerobic biotechnological applications or medical indications. This review presents the historical development of methods for the cultivation of strictly anaerobic microorganisms focusing on methanogenic archaea, anaerobic cultivation methods that are still widely used today, novel methods for anaerobic cultivation, and almost forgotten, but still relevant, techniques.

Thermophilic Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Exhausted Sugar Beet Pulp with Cow Manure to Boost the Performance of the Process: The Effect of Manure Proportion

Sugar beet by-products are a lignocellulosic waste generated from sugar beet industry during the sugar production process and stand out for their high carbon content. Moreover, cow manure (CM) is hugely produced in rural areas and livestock industry, which requires proper disposal. Anaerobic digestion of such organic wastes has shown to be a suitable technology for these wastes valorization and bioenergy production. In this context, the biomethane production from the anaerobic co-digestion of exhausted sugar beet pulp (ESBP) and CM was investigated in this study. Four mixtures (0:100, 50:50, 75:25, and 90:10) of cow manure and sugar beet by-products were evaluated for methane generation by thermophilic batch anaerobic co-digestion assays. The results showed the highest methane production was observed in mixtures with 75% of CM (159.5 mL CH4/g VolatileSolids added). Nevertheless, the hydrolysis was inhibited by volatile fatty acids accumulation in the 0:100 mixture, which refers to the assay without CM addition. The modified Gompertz model was used to fit the experimental results of methane productions and the results of the modeling show a good fit between the estimated and the observed data.

Responses of Methanosarcina barkeri to acetate stress

BACKGROUND

Anaerobic digestion of easily degradable biowaste can lead to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids, which will cause environmental stress to the sensitive methanogens consequently. The metabolic characteristics of methanogens under acetate stress can affect the overall performance of mixed consortia. Nevertheless, there exist huge gaps in understanding the responses of the dominant methanogens to the stress, e.g., Methanosarcinaceae. Such methanogens are resistant to environmental deterioration and able to utilize multiple carbon sources. In this study, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were conducted to explore the responses of Methanosarcina barkeri strain MS at different acetate concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 mM.

RESULTS

The trend of OD600 and the regulation of the specific genes in 50 mM acetate, indicated that high concentration of acetate promoted the acclimation of M. barkeri to acetate stress. Acetate stress hindered the regulation of quorum sensing and thereby eliminated the advantages of cell aggregation, which was beneficial to resist stress. Under acetate stress, M. barkeri allocated more resources to enhance the uptake of iron to maintain the integrities of electron-transport chains and other essential biological processes. Comparing with the initial stages of different acetate concentrations, most of the genes participating in acetoclastic methanogenesis did not show significantly different expressions except hdrB1C1, an electron-bifurcating heterodisulfide reductase participating in energy conversion and improving thermodynamic efficiency. Meanwhile, vnfDGHK and nifDHK participating in nitrogen fixation pathway were upregulated.

CONCLUSION

In this work, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses are combined to reveal the responses of M. barkeri to acetate stress in terms of central metabolic pathways, which provides basic clues for exploring the responses of other specific methanogens under high organics load. Moreover, the results can also be used to gain insights into the complex interactions and geochemical cycles among natural or engineered populations. Furthermore, these findings also provide the potential for designing effective and robust anaerobic digesters with high organic loads.

No difference in inhibition among free acids of acetate, propionate and butyrate on hydrogenotrophic methanogen of Methanobacterium formicicum

Free volatile fatty acids such as free acetic acid (FAA) and free butyrate acid (FBA) are true inhibitors of hydrogenotrophic methanogens (HM) in mixed culture. However, their inhibitory effects on pure culture of HM remain unclear. In this study, a typical HM of Methanobacterium formicicum demonstrated no difference in toxicity conferred by FAA, free propionate acid (FPA), or FBA in regard to the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) based on the C_50% (0.19, 0.17, and 0.23 g/L, respectively) and recoverable concentration values (0.97, 0.69, and 0.61 g/L, respectively). These results were within the same order of magnitude. The concentrations of FAA, FBA, and FPA all correlated well with the SMA values according to the inhibition model. Additionally, changes in the activity of the electron transport system also agreed well with the trend in the SMA variation. Together, the results of this study provide a benchmark to control methanogenesis during industrial applications.

Exploring the performance limits of a sulfidogenic UASB during the long-term use of crude glycerol as electron donor

SOx contained in flue gases and S-rich liquid effluents can be valorized to recover elemental sulfur in a two-stage bioscrubbing process. The reduction of sulfate to sulfide is the most crucial stage to be optimized. In this study, the long-term performance of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor using crude glycerol as electron donor was assessed. The UASB was operated for 400 days with different sulfate and organic loading rates (SLR and OLR, respectively) and a COD/S-SO₄^2- ratio ranging from 3.8 g O₂ g^-1 S to 5.4 g O₂ g^-1 S. After inoculation with methanogenic, granular biomass, the competition between sulfate-reducing and methanogenic microorganisms determined to what extent dissolved sulfide and methane were produced. After the complete washout of methanogens, which was revealed by next-generation sequencing analysis, the highest S-EC was reached in the system. The highest average sulfate elimination capacity (S-EC = 4.3 kg S m^-3d^-1) was obtained at a COD/S-SO₄^2- ratio of 5.4 g O₂ g^-1 S and an OLR of 24.4 kg O₂ m^-3d^-1 with a sulfate removal efficiency of 94%. The conversion of influent COD to methane decreased from 12% to 2.5% as the SLR increased while a large fraction of acetate (35% of the initial COD) was accumulated. Our data indicate that crude glycerol can promote sulfidogenesis. However, the disappearance of methanogens in the long-term due to the out competition by sulfate reducing bacteria, lead to such large accumulation of acetate.

Application of Response Surface Analysis to Evaluate the Effect of Concentrations of Ammonia and Propionic Acid on Acetate-Utilizing Methanogenesis

Ammonia and propionate are known inhibitors of anaerobic methanogenesis at higher concentrations, and are likely to coexist in digesters treating high-strength wastewater. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effects of ammonia and propionate on acetate-utilizing methanogenesis when they coexist. Response surface analysis with face-centered central composite design was used to explore the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) level of 2–5 g/L and the propionate level of 2–8 g/L in acetate-fed batch incubation. Two models were successfully derived to estimate the lag period and the methane yield in response to the concentrations of the two chemicals. The lag period was affected by both inhibitors, with clues obtained of a synergistic effect at a higher concentration rage ([TAN] > 3.5 g/L and [propionate] > 5 g/L). The methane yield was also affected by the two inhibitors; between the two, it was more significantly dependent on the TAN concentration than on the propionate concentration. Real-time PCR showed that Methanosarcinaceae was the major methanogen group in this system. The results of this study improve our understanding of the inhibition of biogas reactors.

Bulk pH and Carbon Source Are Key Factors for Calcium Phosphate Granulation

Recovery of calcium phosphate granules (CaP granules) from high-strength wastewater is an opportunity to reduce the natural phosphorus (P) scarcity, geographic imbalances of P reserves, and eutrophication. Formation of CaP granules was previously observed in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor treating source separated black water and is enhanced by Ca²⁺ addition. However, the required operating conditions and influent composition for CaP granulation are still unknown. In this study, we have experimentally demonstrated that the carbon source and bulk pH are crucial parameters for the formation and growth of CaP granules in a UASB reactor, operating at relatively low upflow velocity (<1 cm h^-1). Degradation of glucose yielded sufficient biomass (microbial cells and extracellular biopolymers) to cover crystal and amorphous calcium phosphate [Ca _x(PO₄) _y], forming CaP granules. Influent only containing volatile fatty acids as the carbon source did not generate CaP granules. Moreover, bulk pH between 7.0 and 7.5 was crucial for the enrichment of Ca _x(PO₄) _y in the granules over bulk precipitation. Bulk pH 8 reduced the Ca _x(PO₄) _y enrichment in granules of >1.4 mm diameter from 9 to 5 wt % P. Moreover, for bulk pH 7.5, co-precipitation of CaCO₃ with Ca _x(PO₄) _y was reduced.

Biogeographic distribution of bacterial, archaeal and methanogenic communities and their associations with methanogenic capacity in Chinese wetlands

Natural wetlands and anthropogenic paddy fields are the dominant biogenic sources of atmospheric methane emission which have been speculated as the most probable sources for the increase of post-2006 atmospheric methane. Regional differences in CH₄ emission is possibly due to microbial biogeographic distribution. Here we collected soils from 19 wetlands from different regions in China. The methane production capacity (MPC) was measured for each soil samples and varied from 1.11 to 841.94mg/kg dry soil. High throughput sequencing was employed to investigate the diversity and composition of bacterial, archaeal and methanogenic communities. Similar biogeographic patterns for bacterial, archaeal and methanogenic communities along the latitudinal gradient were observed, and the biogeographic assemblies of different microbial groups were driven by concurrent factors, including edaphic variables (total organic carbon, total phosphorus and pH) and climatic variables (annual frost days, mean annual temperature, direct solar radiation and mean annual precipitation). MPC was significantly correlated with TOC concentration, and in addition, various functional taxa were positively correlated with MPC (P<0.05), for example, Sphingomonas, Syntrophomonas, Methanospirillum and Methanoregula, indicating their potential contributions in the methanogenic process, and many of them were fermentative bacteria and methanogens. Network analysis showed that some syntrophs, sulfate-reducers and methanogens were tightly co-occurred in one module, suggesting their involvements in cross-linked functional processes. Our study implicated both temperature and substrate availability altered the biogeographic patterns of microbial community as well as methane production potential in Chinese wetlands.

Acidogenic fermentation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and cheese whey for bio-plastic precursors recovery - Effects of process conditions during batch tests

The problem of fossil fuels dependency is being addressed through sustainable bio-fuels and bio-products production worldwide. At the base of this bio-based economy there is the efficient use of biomass as non-virgin feedstock. Through acidogenic fermentation, organic waste can be valorised in order to obtain several precursors to be used for bio-plastic production. Some investigations have been done but there is still a lack of knowledge that must be filled before moving to effective full scale plants. Acidogenic fermentation batch tests were performed using food waste (FW) and cheese whey (CW) as substrates. Effects of nine different combinations of substrate to inoculum (S/I) ratio (2, 4, and 6) and initial pH (5, 7, and 9) were investigated for metabolites (acetate, butyrate, propionate, valerate, lactate, and ethanol) productions. Results showed that the most abundant metabolites deriving from FW fermentation were butyrate and acetate, mainly influenced by the S/I ratio (acetate and butyrate maximum productions of 21.4 and 34.5g/L, respectively, at S/I=6). Instead, when dealing with CW, lactate was the dominant metabolite significantly correlated with pH (lactate maximum production of 15.7g/L at pH = 9).

Global Biogeographic Analysis of Methanogenic Archaea Identifies Community-Shaping Environmental Factors of Natural Environments

Methanogenic archaea are important for the global greenhouse gas budget since they produce methane under anoxic conditions in numerous natural environments such as oceans, estuaries, soils, and lakes. Whether and how environmental change will propagate into methanogenic assemblages of natural environments remains largely unknown owing to a poor understanding of global distribution patterns and environmental drivers of this specific group of microorganisms. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis targeting the biogeographic patterns and environmental controls of methanogenic communities using 94 public mcrA gene datasets. We show a global pattern of methanogenic archaea that is more associated with habitat filtering than with geographical dispersal. We identify salinity as the control on methanogenic community composition at global scale whereas pH and temperature are the major controls in non-saline soils and lakes. The importance of salinity for structuring methanogenic community composition is also reflected in the biogeography of methanogenic lineages and the physiological properties of methanogenic isolates. Linking methanogenic alpha-diversity with reported values of methane emission identifies estuaries as the most diverse methanogenic habitats with, however, minor contribution to the global methane budget. With salinity, temperature and pH our study identifies environmental drivers of methanogenic community composition facing drastic changes in many natural environments at the moment. However, consequences of this for the production of methane remain elusive owing to a lack of studies that combine methane production rate with community analysis.

Enhancing anaerobic digestion of poultry blood using activated carbon

The potential of using anaerobic digestion for the treatment of poultry blood has been evaluated in batch assays at the laboratory scale and in a mesophilic semi-continuous reactor. The biodegradability test performed on residual poultry blood was carried out in spite of high inhibitory levels of acid intermediaries. The use of activated carbon as a way to prevent inhibitory conditions demonstrated the feasibility of attaining anaerobic digestion under extreme ammonium and acid conditions. Batch assays with higher carbon content presented higher methane production rates, although the difference in the final cumulative biogas production was not as sharp. The digestion of residual blood was also studied under semi-continuous operation using granular and powdered activated carbon. The average specific methane production was 216 ± 12 mL CH4/g VS. This result was obtained in spite of a strong volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation, reaching values around 6 g/L, along with high ammonium concentrations (in the range of 6-8 g/L). The use of powdered activated carbon resulted in a better assimilation of C3-C5 acid forms, indicating that an enhancement in syntrophic metabolism may have taken place. Thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied as analytical tools for measuring the presence of organic material in the final digestate and evidencing modifications on the carbon surface. The addition of activated carbon for the digestion of residual blood highly improved the digestion process. The adsorption capacity of ammonium, the protection this carrier may offer by limiting mass transfer of toxic compounds, and its capacity to act as a conductive material may explain the successful digestion of residual blood as the sole substrate.

Acetic acid effects on methanogens in the second stage of a two-stage anaerobic system

This study reports on biomass tolerance towards high concentrations of acetic acid (HAc) within the system. Biomass from the second stage of a two-stage anaerobic sludge digestion system was used for this study. Microbial community analysis by 454 pyrosequencing highlighted hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales was the predominant archaeal population in the second stage (>99% of the total archaeal community). Second stage biomass degraded HAc up to 4200 mg HAc L(-1) without observable lag phase. However, at HAc-shock loading of 7400 mg HAc L(-1), it showed a one day lag phase associated with decreased biomass activity. After stepwise HAc-acclimation over 27 d, the biomass degraded HAc of up to 8200 mg HAc L(-1) without observable lag phase. The dominance of Methanomicrobiales had remained unchanged in proportion - while the total archaeal population increased during acclimation. This study showed stepwise acclimation could be an approach to accommodate HAc accumulation and hence higher concentrations resulting from an enhanced first stage.

Performances of microbial fuel cells fed with rejected wastewater from BioCH4 and BioH2 processes treating molasses wastewater

An integrated process involving conventional anaerobic digestion and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has attracted attention recently to produce sustainable energy and to treat wastewater efficiently. To evaluate the possibility of CH4-producing process (BioCH4)-MFC or H2-producing process (BioH2)-MFC integrating systems, the MFC performances were investigated using rejected wastewater from a BioCH4 reactor (RWCH4) or BioH2 reactor (RWH2) treating molasses wastewater. When RWCH4 or RWH2 was fed into a single-chamber MFC reactor (designated as AC-MFCCH4 and AC-MFCH2, respectively) at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 1-7 d, both MFC systems showed maximum electricity production efficiencies at a HRT of 3 d. In the AC-MFCCH4 reactor, the average current density and average power density were 60.5 mA·m(-2) and 8.8 mW·m(-2), respectively. The AC-MFCH2 reactor generated an average current density of 71.4 mA·m(-2) and an average power density of 12.0 mW·m(-2). The COD removal rates were 45.7% in the AC-MFCCH4 reactor and 90.3% in the AC-MFCH2 reactor. There were no significant differences of the eubacterial community structures between the MFC systems, where Proteobacteria was remarkably dominant in both MFC systems. However, the archaeal community structures were significantly different where Methanothrix (89.3%) was remarkably dominant in the AC-MFCCH4 system, while Methanothrix (52.5%) and Methanosarcina (33.5%) were abundant in the AC-MFCH2 system. These findings demonstrate that the utilization of MFCs after the BioCH4 or BioH2 process is advantageous for energy recovery as well as COD removal from molasses wastewater.

Kinetics and methane gas yields of selected C1 to C5 organic acids in anaerobic digestion

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and other short-chain organic acids such as lactic and pyruvic acids are intermediates in anaerobic organic degradation. In this study, anaerobic degradation of seven organic acids in salt form was investigated, including formate (C1), acetate (C2), propionate (C3), pyruvate (C3), lactate (C3), butyrate (C4), and valerate (C5). Microbial growth kinetics on these organic acids were determined individually at 37 °C through batch anaerobic digestion tests by varying substrate concentrations from 250 to 4000 mg COD/L. The cumulative methane generation volume was determined real-time by respirometry coupled with gas chromatographic analysis while methane yield and related kinetics were calculated. The methane gas yields (fe, mg CH4 COD/mg substrate COD) from anaerobic degradation of formate, acetate, propionate, pyruvate, lactate, butyrate, and valerate were 0.44 ± 0.27, 0.58 ± 0.05, 0.53 ± 0.18, 0.24 ± 0.05, 0.17 ± 0.05, 0.43 ± 0.15, 0.49 ± 0.11, respectively. Anaerobic degradation of formate showed self-substrate inhibition at the concentrations above 3250 mg COD/L. Acetate, propionate, pyruvate, butyrate, lactate, and valerate did not inhibit methane production at the highest concentrations tested (i.e., 4000 mg COD/L). Microbes growing on acetate had the highest overall specific growth rate (0.30 d(-1)) in methane production. For comparison, the specific microbial growth rates on formate, propionate, pyruvate, butyrate, lactate, and valerate for methane production were 0.10, 0.06, 0.08, 0.07, 0.05, 0.15 d(-1), respectively.

Methanogenesis from wastewater stimulated by addition of elemental manganese

This study presents a novel procedure for accelerating methanogenesis from wastewater by adding elemental manganese into the anaerobic digestion system. The results indicated that elemental manganese effectively enhanced both the methane yield and the production rate. Compared to the control test without elemental manganese, the total methane yield and production rate with 4 g/L manganese addition increased 3.4-fold (from 0.89 ± 0.03 to 2.99 ± 0.37 M/gVSS within 120 h) and 4.4-fold (from 6.2 ± 0.1 to 27.2 ± 2.2 mM/gVSS/h), respectively. Besides, more acetate consumption and less propionate generation were observed during the methanogenesis with manganese. Further studies demonstrated that the elemental manganese served as electron donors for the methanogenesis from carbon dioxide, and the final proportion of methane in the total generated gas with 4 g/L manganese addition reached 96.9%, which was 2.1-fold than that of the control (46.6%).

Accelerated methanogenesis from effluents of hydrogen-producing stage in anaerobic digestion by mixed cultures enriched with acetate and nano-sized magnetite particles

Potential for paddy soil enrichments obtained in the presence of nano-sized magnetite particles (named as PSEM) to promote methane production from effluents of hydrogen-producing stage in two-stage anaerobic digestion was investigated. The results showed that the addition of magnetite significantly accelerated methane production from acetate in a dose-independent manner. The results from high-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that Rhodocyclaceae-related species were selectively enriched, which were likely the key players for conversion of acetate to methane in PSEM. Compared to the paddy soil enrichments obtained in the absence of magnetite (named as PSEC), the maximum methane production rate in PSEM was significantly higher (1.5-5.5times higher for the artificial medium and 0.2-1.7times higher for the effluents). The accelerated methane production from the effluents indicated remarkably application potential of PSEM for improving performance of anaerobic digestion.

The maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures: definition and determination

Fermentative hydrogen production from wastes has many advantages compared to various chemical methods. Methodology for characterizing the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures is essential for monitoring reactor operation in fermentative hydrogen production, however there is lack of such kind of standardized methodologies. In the present study, a new index, i.e., the maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity (SHA_m) of anaerobic mixed cultures, was proposed, and consequently a reliable and simple method, named SHA_m test, was developed to determine it. Furthermore, the influences of various parameters on the SHA_m value determination of anaerobic mixed cultures were evaluated. Additionally, this SHA_m assay was tested for different types of substrates and bacterial inocula. Our results demonstrate that this novel SHA_m assay was a rapid, accurate and simple methodology for determining the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures. Thus, application of this approach is beneficial to establishing a stable anaerobic hydrogen-producing system.

Southern Appalachian peatlands support high archaeal diversity

Mid-latitude peatlands with a temperate climate are sparsely studied and as such represent a gap in the current knowledge base regarding archaeal populations present and their roles in these environments. Phylogenetic analysis of the archaeal populations among three peatlands in the Southern Appalachians reveal not only methanogenic species but also significant populations of thaumarchaeal and crenarchaeal-related organisms of the uncultured miscellaneous crenarchaeotal group (MCG) and the terrestrial group 1.1c, as well as deep-branching Euryarchaeota primarily within the Lake Dagow sediment and rice cluster V lineages. The Thaum/Crenarchaea and deep-branching Euryarchaea represented approximately 24-83% and 2-18%, respectively, of the total SSU rRNA clones retrieved in each library, and methanogens represented approximately 14-72% of the clones retrieved. Several taxa that are either rare or novel to acidic peatlands were detected including the euryarchaeal SM1K20 cluster and thaumarchaeal/crenarchaeal-related clusters 1.1a, C3, SAGMCG-1, pSL12, and AK59. All three major groups (methanogens, Thaumarchaea/Crenarchaea, and deep-branching Euryarchaea) were detected in the RNA library, suggesting at least a minimum level of maintenance activity. Compared to their northern counterparts, Southern Appalachian peatlands appear to harbor a relatively high diversity of Archaea and exhibit a high level of intra-site heterogeneity.

Self-adaption of methane-producing communities to pH disturbance at different acetate concentrations by shifting pathways and population interaction

To investigate the competition among acetate-utilizing microorganisms at different acetate levels, bioconversion processes of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM acetate in the presence and absence of methanogenic inhibitor CH3F were monitored in thermophilic methanogenic system. The successive response of methane-producing community during the deteriorative and recovery phases caused by pH disturbance was analyzed. High acetate concentration (>50mM) inhibited the activity of acetoclastic methanogenesis (AM). The increasing pH (>7.5) enhanced this inhibition. The syntrophic acetate oxidizing (SAO) bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens including Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteirales were more tolerant to the stress from high acetate concentration and high pH. Resumption from alkali condition to normal pH stimulated the growth of acetate oxidizing syntrophs. The reaction rate of SAO-HM was lower than that of AM. These results point to the possibility to regenerate the deteriorated anaerobic digesters by addition of acclimatized inocula rich in acetate-oxidizing syntrophs.

Genome-guided analysis of physiological and morphological traits of the fermentative acetate oxidizer Thermacetogenium phaeum

BACKGROUND

Thermacetogenium phaeum is a thermophilic strictly anaerobic bacterium oxidizing acetate to CO(2) in syntrophic association with a methanogenic partner. It can also grow in pure culture, e.g., by fermentation of methanol to acetate. The key enzymes of homoacetate fermentation (Wood-Ljungdahl pathway) are used both in acetate oxidation and acetate formation. The obvious reversibility of this pathway in this organism is of specific interest since syntrophic acetate oxidation operates close to the energetic limitations of microbial life.

RESULTS

The genome of Th. phaeum is organized on a single circular chromosome and has a total size of 2,939,057 bp. It comprises 3.215 open reading frames of which 75% could be assigned to a gene function. The G+C content is 53.88 mol%. Many CRISPR sequences were found, indicating heavy phage attack in the past. A complete gene set for a phage was found in the genome, and indications of phage action could also be observed in culture. The genome contained all genes required for CO(2) reduction through the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, including two formyl tetrahydrofolate ligases, three carbon monoxide dehydrogenases, one formate hydrogenlyase complex, three further formate dehydrogenases, and three further hydrogenases. The bacterium contains a menaquinone MQ-7. No indications of cytochromes or Rnf complexes could be found in the genome.

CONCLUSIONS

The information obtained from the genome sequence indicates that Th. phaeum differs basically from the three homoacetogenic bacteria sequenced so far, i.e., the sodium ion-dependent Acetobacterium woodii, the ethanol-producing Clostridium ljungdahlii, and the cytochrome-containing Moorella thermoacetica. The specific enzyme outfit of Th. phaeum obviously allows ATP formation both in acetate formation and acetate oxidation.

Shift of pathways during initiation of thermophilic methanogenesis at different initial pH

To investigate the metabolic pathways during the initiation of methanogenesis from acid crisis, the influence of initial pH (5.0-6.5) on thermophilic methanogenic conversion of 100mmol/L acetate was monitored based on the isotopic signature and selective-inhibition method combined with analysis of the microbial structure. The results showed, lower pH extended the lag phase for methanogenesis which was inhibited at pH5.0 throughout the incubation. At initial pH6.0-6.5, methanogenesis was primarily initiated via acetoclastic methanogenesis (AM), with the fraction of the hydrogenotrophic pathway (f(mc)) accounting for 21-22% of total methane formation. Conversely, at initial pH5.5, the dominant pathway shifted to syntrophic acetate oxidation coupled with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (SAO-HM), with f(mc) rising to 51% and the abundance of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria increasing remarkably. Methanogenesis could initiate independently via SAO-HM pathway when AM pathway was inhibited. Acetate-oxidizing syntrophs could function as the initiation center of methanogenesis from low-pH crisis.

The kinetics of process dependent ammonia inhibition of methanogenesis from acetic acid

Advanced anaerobic digestion processes aimed at improving the methanization of sewage sludge may be potentially impaired by the production of inhibitory compounds (e.g. free ammonia). The result of methanogenic inhibition is relatively high effluent concentrations of acetic acid and other soluble organics, as well as reduced methane yields. An extreme example of such an advanced process is the thermal hydrolytic pretreatment of sludge prior to high solids digestion (THD). Compared to a conventional mesophilic anaerobic digestion process (MAD), THD operates in a state of constant inhibition driven by high free ammonia concentrations, and elevated pH values. As such, previous investigations of the kinetics of methanogenesis from acetic acid under uninhibited conditions do not necessarily apply well to the modeling of extreme processes such as THD. By conducting batch ammonia toxicity assays using biomass from THD and MAD reactors, we compared the response of these communities over a broad range of ammonia inhibition. For both processes, increased inhibitor concentrations resulted in a reduction of biomass growth rate (r(max) = μ(max)∙X) and a resulting decrease in the substrate half saturation coefficient (K(S)). These two parameters exhibited a high degree of correlation, suggesting that for a constant transport limited system, the K(S) was mostly a linear function of the growth rate. After correcting for reactor pH and temperature, we found that the THD and MAD biomass were both able to perform methanogenesis from acetate at high free ammonia concentrations (equivalent to 3-5 g/L total ammonia nitrogen), albeit at less than 30% of their respective maximum rates. The reduction in methane production was slightly less pronounced for the THD biomass than for MAD, suggesting that the long term exposure to ammonia had selected for a methanogenic pathway less dependent on those organisms most sensitive to ammonia inhibition (i.e. aceticlastic methanogens).

Development of thermophilic methanogenic sludge in compartmentalized upflow reactors

The characteristics and development of thermophilic anaerobic sludge in upflow staged sludge bed (USSB) reactors were studied. The compartmentalized reactors were inoculated with partially crushed mesophilic granular sludge and then fed with either a mixture of volatile fatty acids (VFA) or a mixture of sucrose and VFA. The staged degradation of the soluble substrate in the various compartments led to a clear segregation of specific types of biomass along the height of the reactor, particularly in reactors fed with the sucrose-VFA mixture. Both the biological as well as the physical properties of the cultivated sludge were affected by the fraction of nonacidified substrate. The sludge in the first compartment of the reactor treating the sucrose-VFA mixture was whitish and fluffy, most likely resulting from the development of acidifying bacteria. Sludge granules which developed in the top part of this reactor possessed the highest acetogenic and methanogenic activity and the highest granule strength as well. The experiments also revealed that the conversion of the sucrose-VFA mixture into methane gradually deteriorated at prolonged operation at high organic loading rates (50 to 100 g COD x L(-1) x day(-1)). Stable long-term performance of a reactor can only be achieved by preserving the sludge segregation along the height of the reactor. In the reactor fed solely with the VFA mixture little formation of granular sludge occurred. In this reactor, large differences in sludge characteristics were also observed along the reactor height. Li(+)-tracer experiments indicated that the hydraulic regime in the USSB reactor is best characterized by a series of at least five completely mixed reactors. The formation of granular sludge was found to influence the liquid flow pattern.

High-calorific biogas production by selective CO₂ retention at autogenerated biogas pressures up to 20 bar

Autogenerative high pressure digestion (AHPD) is a novel configuration of anaerobic digestion, in which micro-organisms produce autogenerated biogas pressures up to 90 bar with >90% CH(4)-content in a single step reactor. (1) The less than 10% CO(2)-content was postulated to be resulting from proportionally more CO(2) dissolution relative to CH(4) at increasing pressure. However, at 90 bar of total pressure Henry's law also predicts dissolution of 81% of produced CH(4). Therefore, in the present research we studied whether CO(2) can be selectively retained in solution at moderately high pressures up to 20 bar, aiming to produce high-calorific biogas with >90% methane. Experiments were performed in an 8 L closed fed-batch pressure digester fed with acetate as the substrate. Experimental results confirmed CH(4) distribution over gas and liquid phase according to Henry's law, but the CO(2)-content of the biogas was only 1-2%, at pH 7, that is, much lower than expected. By varying the ratio between acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and total inorganic carbon (TIC(produced)) of the substrate between 0 and 1, the biogas CO(2)-content could be controlled independently of pressure. However, by decreasing the ANC relative to the TIC(produced) CO(2) accumulation in the aqueous medium caused acidification to pH 5, but remarkably, acetic acid was still converted into CH(4) at a rate comparable to neutral conditions.

Anaerobic biological treatment of high strength cassava starch wastewater in a new type up-flow multistage anaerobic reactor

Anaerobic treatment of cassava starch wastewater using an up-flow multistage anaerobic reactor was investigated. The results showed that startup was successfully accomplished in 22d. The maximum 87.9% chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6.0 h at fixed concentration 4000 mg/L. In addition, 77.5-92.0% COD were removed as organic loading rates at 10.2-40.0 kg COD/(m(3) d) at fixed HRT of 6.0 h. The Grau second-order kinetic model and modified Stover-Kincannon model were successfully used to develop a kinetic model of the experimental data. Furthermore, the specific methanogenic activity were 0.31 and .73 g COD(CH(4))/(g VSS d) for the first and second feed, respectively. Finally, morphological examination of the sludge revealed Methanothrix spp. and Methanosarcina spp. were dominant microorganisms. All the results indicated that the UMAR could be used efficiently for treatment of wastewater containing high COD concentration from cassava starch processing.

Effect of operational parameters on Coulombic efficiency in bioelectrochemical systems

To create an efficient bioelectrochemical system, a high Coulombic efficiency is required. This efficiency is a direct measure for the competition between electrogens and methanogens when acetate is used as substrate. In this study the Coulombic efficiency in a microbial electrolysis cell was investigated. As a result of an increase in substrate concentration from 1 to 35 mM, the current density increased to 21.1A/m(2), while the Coulombic efficiency decreased to 52%. As a result of an increase in anode potential from -450 to -0.250 mV, the current density increased to 20.9A/m(2), while the Coulombic efficiency increased 21%. Knowledge about the substrate affinity and growth kinetics is crucial to control the Coulombic efficiency. Further research is required to optimize strategies to find a balance between the Coulombic efficiency, current density and removal rate of organic material.

Model to couple anaerobic process kinetics with biological growth equilibrium thermodynamics

Monod kinetics indicates a substrate concentration limit (S(min)) at biological growth equilibrium where growth is just balanced by decay. A relationship between S(min) and the Gibbs free energy available at growth equilibrium (ΔG(E)) was introduced into the Monod model and applied directly to chemostat cultures. Results from four anaerobic mixed-culture chemostat studies yielded ΔG(E) of -17.7 ± 2.2 kJ/mol acetate converted to methane. ΔG(E) for propionate syntrophs in propionate-fed cultures was -8.0 ± 3.1 kJ/mol propionate, compared with that of -3.0 ± 0.9 kJ/mol H(2) for the hydrogenotrophs present. With ethanol present, however, ΔG(E) for the hydrogenotrophs became more favorable, -6.1 ± 1.6 kJ/mol H(2), while ΔG(E) for propionate became positive even though propionate was consumed, suggesting an alternative interspecies electron transport route. The results suggest that S(min), normally considered a function of an organism's intrinsic rate characteristics, is also a function of solution characteristics, and this is likely the case for the substrate affinity coefficient, K, as well. A comparison between ΔG(E) and S(min) and reported threshold thermodynamic and concentration limits, leads to the conclusion that ΔG(E) and S(min) represent lower and upper bounds, respectively, on such values. This study indicates that knowledge gained from pure-culture studies applies well to more complex natural anaerobic systems.

Current production by bacterial communities in microbial fuel cells enriched from wastewater sludge with different electron donors

Electricity production by bacterial communities enriched from wastewater sludge with lactate, succinate, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG), acetate, formate, and uridine were monitored in dual-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Stable electricity production was observed after 300 h for communities enriched from lactate, acetate, and formate, while communities enriched with succinate, NAG, and uridine stabilized only after 700 h. The average peak current densities and maximum power densities generated from bacterial consortia were significantly higher than those generated from pure cultures of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Microbial assemblages were analyzed by DGGE, and planktonic and anode-attached bacterial communities varied as a function of electron donors: Firmicutes, β-Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes dominated the planktonic bacterial communities while anode-attached communities consisted mainly of δ-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. Similar bacterial populations were enriched in MFCs fed with lactate, NAG, and uridine and with succinate, acetate, and formate. Cross-feeding experiments with different fuels indicated that enriched microbial consortia were able to utilize a variety of fuel sources and displayed considerable stability, efficiency, and robustness of power generation in comparison to pure cultures. In addition, characterizations of cultivated Shewanella strains suggested that DGGE analysis likely missed active members of exoelectrogenic populations.

Predominant contribution of syntrophic acetate oxidation to thermophilic methane formation at high acetate concentrations

To quantify the contribution of syntrophic acetate oxidation to thermophilic anaerobic methanogenesis under the stressed condition induced by acidification, the methanogenic conversion process of 100 mmol/L acetate was monitored simultaneously by using isotopic tracing and selective inhibition techniques, supplemented with the analysis of unculturable microorganisms. Both quantitative methods demonstrated that, in the presence of aceticlastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, a large percentage of methane (up to 89%) was initially derived from CO(2) reduction, indicating the predominant contribution of the syntrophic acetate oxidation pathway to acetate degradation at high acid concentrations. A temporal decrease of the fraction of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis from more than 60% to less than 40% reflected the gradual prevalence of the aceticlastic methanogenesis pathway along with the reduction of acetate. This apparent discrimination of acetate methanization pathways highlighted the importance of the syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria to initialize methanogenesis from high organic loadings.

Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen, and Formate Metabolism during Methanogenesis from Acetate by Thermophilic Cultures of Methanosarcina and Methanothrix Strains

CO and H(2) have been implicated in methanogenesis from acetate, but it is unclear whether they are directly involved in methanogenesis or electron transfer in acetotrophic methanogens. We compared metabolism of H(2), CO, and formate by cultures of the thermophilic acetotrophic methanogens Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 and Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1. M. thermophila accumulated H(2) to partial pressures of 40 to 70 Pa (1 Pa = 0.987 x 10 atm), as has been previously reported for this and other Methanosarcina cultures. In contrast, Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 accumulated H(2) to maximum partial pressures near 1 Pa. Growing cultures of Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 initially accumulated CO, which reached partial pressures near 0.6 Pa (some CO came from the rubber stopper) during the middle of methanogenesis; this was followed by a decrease in CO partial pressures to less than 0.01 Pa by the end of methanogenesis. Accumulation or consumption of CO by cultures of M. thermophila growing on acetate was not detected. Late-exponential-phase cultures of Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1, in which the CO partial pressure was decreased by flushing with N(2)-CO(2), accumulated CO to 0.16 Pa, whereas cultures to which ca. 0.5 Pa of CO was added consumed CO until it reached this partial pressure. Cyanide (1 mM) blocked CO consumption but not production. High partial pressures of H(2) (40 kPa) inhibited methanogenesis from acetate by M. thermophila but not by Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1, and 2 kPa of CO was not inhibitory to M. thermophila but was inhibitory to Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1. Levels of CO dehydrogenase, hydrogenase, and formate dehydrogenase in Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 were 9.1, 0.045, and 5.8 mumol of viologen reduced min mg of protein. These results suggest that CO plays a role in Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 similar to that of H(2) in M. thermophila and are consistent with the conclusion that CO is an intermediate in a catabolic or anabolic pathway in Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1; however, they could also be explained by passive equilibration of CO with a metabolic intermediate.

Interspecies acetate transfer influences the extent of anaerobic benzoate degradation by syntrophic consortia

Benzoate degradation by an anaerobic, syntrophic bacterium, strain SB, in coculture with Desulfovibrio sp. strain G-11 reached a threshold value which depended on the amount of acetate added and ranged from about 2.5 to 29.9 (mu)M. Increasing acetate concentrations also uncompetitively inhibited benzoate degradation. The apparent V(infmax) and apparent K(infm) for benzoate degradation decreased with increasing acetate concentration, but the benzoate degradation capacities (V(infmax)/K(infm)) of cell suspensions remained comparable. The addition of an acetate-using bacterium to cocultures after the threshold was reached resulted in the degradation of benzoate to below the detection limit. Mathematical simulations showed that the benzoate threshold was not predicted by the inhibitory effect of acetate on benzoate degradation kinetics. With nitrate instead of sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor, no benzoate threshold was observed in the presence of 20 mM acetate even though the kinetics of benzoate degradation were slower with nitrate rather than sulfate as the electron acceptor. When strain SB was grown with Desulfovibrio sp. strain DG2 that had a fourfold-lower V(infmax) for hydrogen use than strain G-11, the V(infmax) for benzoate degradation was 37-fold lower than that of strain SB-G-11 cocultures. The Gibb's free energy for benzoate degradation was less negative in cell suspensions with a threshold than in suspensions without a threshold. These studies showed that the threshold was not a function of the inhibition of benzoate degradation by acetate or the toxicity of the undissociated form of acetate. Rather, a critical or minimal Gibb's free energy may exist where thermodynamic constraints preclude further benzoate degradation.

Competition and coexistence of sulfate-reducing and methanogenic populations in anaerobic biofilms

The microbial population structure and function of natural anaerobic communities maintained in laboratory fixed-bed biofilm reactors were tracked before and after a major perturbation, which involved the addition of sulfate to the influent of a reactor that had previously been fed only glucose (methanogenic), while sulfate was withheld from a reactor that had been fed both glucose and sulfate (sulfidogenic). The population structure, determined by using phylogenetically based oligonucleotide probes for methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria, was linked to the functional performance of the biofilm reactors. Before the perturbation, the methanogenic reactor contained up to 25% methanogens as well as 15% sulfate-reducing bacteria, even though sulfate was not present in the influent of this reactor. Methanobacteriales and Desulfovibrio spp. were the most abundant methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria, respectively. The presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (primarily Desulfovibrio spp. and Desulfobacterium spp.) in the absence of sulfate may be explained by their ability to function as proton-reducing acetogens and/or fermenters. Sulfate reduction began immediately following the addition of sulfate consistent with the presence of significant levels of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the methanogenic reactor, and levels of sulfate-reducing bacteria increased to a new steady-state level of 30 to 40%; coincidentally, effluent acetate concentrations decreased. Notably, some sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfococcus/Desulfosarcina/Desulfobotulus group) were more competitive without sulfate. Methane production decreased immediately following the addition of sulfate; this was later followed by a decrease in the relative concentration of methanogens, which reached a new steady-state level of approximately 8%. The changeover to sulfate-free medium in the sulfidogenic reactor did not cause a rapid shift to methanogenesis. Methane production and a substantial increase in the levels of methanogens were observed only after approximately 50 days following the perturbation.

Syntrophic degradation of cadaverine by a defined methanogenic coculture

A novel, strictly anaerobic, cadaverine-oxidizing, defined coculture was isolated from an anoxic freshwater sediment sample. The coculture oxidized cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane) with sulfate as the electron acceptor. The sulfate-reducing partner could be replaced by a hydrogenotrophic methanogenic partner. The defined coculture fermented cadaverine to acetate, butyrate, and glutarate plus sulfide or methane. The key enzymes involved in cadaverine degradation were identified in cell extracts. A pathway of cadaverine fermentation via 5-aminovaleraldehyde and crotonyl-coenzyme A with subsequent dismutation to acetate and butyrate is suggested. Comparative 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that the fermenting part of the coculture belongs to the subphylum Firmicutes but that this part is distant from any described genus. The closest known relative was Clostridium aminobutyricum, with 95% similarity.

Carbon isotope fractionation by sulfate-reducing bacteria using different pathways for the oxidation of acetate

Acetate is a key intermediate in the anaerobic degradation of organic matter. In anoxic environments, available acetate is a competitive substrate for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methane-producing archaea. Little is known about the fractionation of carbon isotopes by sulfate reducers. Therefore, we determined carbon isotope compositions in cultures of three acetate-utilizing SRB, Desulfobacter postgatei, Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus, and Desulfobacca acetoxidans. We found that these species showed strong differences in their isotope enrichment factors (epsilon) of acetate. During the consumption of acetate and sulfate, acetate was enriched in 13C by 19.3% per hundred in Desulfobacca acetoxidans. By contrast, both D. postgatei and D. hydrogenophilus showed a slight depletion of 13C resulting in epsilon(ac)-values of 1.8 and 1.5% per hundred, respectively. We suggest that the different isotope fractionation is due to the different metabolic pathways for acetate oxidation. The strongly fractionating Desulfobacca acetoxidans uses the acetyl-CoA/carbon monoxide dehydrogenase pathway, which is also used by acetoclastic methanogens that show a similar fractionation of acetate (epsilon(ac) = -21 to -27% per hundred). In contrast, Desulfobacter spp. oxidize acetate to CO2 via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and apparently did not discriminate against 13C. Our results suggestthat carbon isotope fractionation in environments with sulfate reduction will strongly depend on the composition of the sulfate-reducing bacterial community oxidizing acetate.

Methanosarcina as the dominant aceticlastic methanogens during mesophilic anaerobic digestion of putrescible waste

Taking into account isotope (13)C value a mathematical model was developed to describe the dynamics of methanogenic population during mesophilic anaerobic digestion of putrescible solid waste and waste imitating Chinese municipal solid waste. Three groups of methanogens were considered in the model including unified hydrogenotrophic methanogens and two aceticlastic methanogens Methanosaeta sp. and Methanosarcina sp. It was assumed that Methanosaeta sp. and Methanosarcina sp. are inhibited by high volatile fatty acids concentration. The total organic and inorganic carbon concentrations, methane production, methane and carbon dioxide partial pressures as well as the isotope (13)C incorporation in PSW and CMSW were used for the model calibration and validation. The model showed that in spite of the high initial biomass concentration of Methanosaeta sp. Methanosarcina sp. became the dominant aceticlastic methanogens in the system. This prediction was confirmed by FISH. It is concluded that Methanosarcina sp. forming multicellular aggregates may resist to inhibition by volatile fatty acids (VFAs) because a slow diffusion rate of the acids limits the VFA concentrations inside the Methanosarcina sp. aggregates.

Analysis, evaluation, and optimization of kinetic parameters for performance appraisal and design of UASB reactors

Studies have been undertaken to explore the applicability of different kinetic models for the performance appraisal of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating wastewater in the range of 300-4000 mg COD/l. Three kinetic models namely, Monod, Grau second-order, and Haldane model are considered for the analysis. Both linear and nonlinear regressions have been performed to examine the best-fit among the kinetic models. In this process, five error analysis methods have been used to analyze the data. Apart from optimization of kinetic coefficients with minimization of associated errors, prediction of effluent COD has also been undertaken to verify the applicability of kinetic models. In both the cases, Grau second-order model is found to be the best class of fit for wide range of data sets in UASB reactor.

Anaerobic and complementary treatment of domestic sewage in regions with hot climates--a review

This study presents a literature review on the treatment of domestic sewage in controlled environments having the anaerobic process and specifically the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) concept as the core, under natural hot conditions. The UASB process application is however beset by the preponderance of suspended solids, and the paper looks at its optimization via pre- and post-treatments to curb the prevailing problems, in the light of possible discharge and re-use/recycling/resource recovery, leading to efficient environmental protection. Pre-treatment clarification could be done with ferric chloride/polyelectrolyte, so that phosphate precipitates during the process. The pre-treated liquid phase can be submitted to a high rate anaerobic process, using the simple and robust UASB technology. In a subsequent post-treatment step, ammonium can be removed by ion exchange using a zeolite column through which the wastewater percolates after leaving the anaerobic digester. The various stages can also eliminate a large fraction of the pathogens present in the raw wastewater, mainly through the pre-treatment sedimentation and the ion exchange filtration. The sludge produced in the precipitation stage can be stabilized in a conventional anaerobic digester. Integration of the different treatment steps provides a sustainable technology to treat domestic sewage under hot climate conditions.

Growth kinetics and competition between Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta in mesophilic anaerobic digestion

Methanosarcina species with a high maximum specific growth rate (mumax) and high half-saturation coefficient (KS) and Methanosaeta species with a low mumax and low KS are the only known aceticlastic methanogens. Because of Methanosaeta's low KS, the low acetate concentrations in conventional, mesophilic anaerobic digestion yield Methanosaeta dominance. However, Methanosarcina absorbs increases in acetate more efficiently and thus promotes more stable digestion. This paper tests the hypothesis that decreasing digester feeding frequencies can increase Methanosarcina predominance. Two acetate-fed reactors were established at a 17-day solids retention time. One reactor was fed hourly, and one was fed once daily. Microscopic and molecular methods were used to verify that the hourly fed reactor enriched for Methanosaeta, while the daily fed reactor enriched for Methanosarcina. Growth and substrate-use kinetics were measured for each reactor. A digester overload condition was simulated, and the Methanosarcina-enriched reactor was found to perform better than the Methanosaeta-enriched reactor. These findings indicate that Methanosarcina dominance can be achieved with infrequent feedings, leading to more stable digestion.