Pretreatment as the crucial step for a cellulosic ethanol biorefinery: testing the efficiency of wet explosion on different types of biomass

The efficiency of wet explosion applied as modified dilute acid pretreatment at previously identified reference conditions (150°C, 0.3% H(2)SO(4), 15 min) was investigated on lucerne, ryegrass, fescue grass, cocksfoot grass, rye fescue, forage grass, and wheat straw in order to identify their potential as feedstock for cellulosic bioethanol production. After pretreatment, cellulose recovery was more than 95% for all biomass while enzymatic convertibility of cellulose ranged from 40% to 80%. Lower enzymatic conversion of cellulose was correlated with higher lignin content of the biomass. Hemicellulose recovery was 81-91% with a final pentose yield of 65-85%. Cocksfoot grass and wheat straw had the highest bioethanol potential of 292 and 308 L/ton DM, respectively. Overall efficiencies were higher than 68% for cocksfoot grass harvested in August, fescue grass, wheat straw, and forage grass while efficiencies were lower than 61% for the other tested biomass resources, making further adjustment of the process parameters necessary.

Improving biogas yields using an innovative concept for conversion of the fiber fraction of manure

The potential of a new concept to enable economically feasible operation of manure-based biogas plants was investigated at laboratory scale. Wet explosion (WEx) was applied to the residual manure fibers separated after the anaerobic digestion process for enhancing the biogas yield before reintroducing the fiber fraction into the biogas reactor. The increase in methane yield of the digested manure fibers was investigated by applying the WEx treatment under five different process conditions. The WEx treatment at 180 °C and a treatment time of 10 min without addition of oxygen was found to be optimal, resulting in 136% increase in methane yield compared with the untreated digested manure fibers in batch experiments. In a continuous mesophilic reactor process the addition of WEx-treated digested fibers in co-digestion with filtered manure did not show any signs of process inhibition, and the overall methane yield was on average 75% higher than in a control reactor with addition of non-treated digested fibers.

Threshold acetate concentrations for acetate catabolism by aceticlastic methanogenic bacteria

Marked differences were found for minimum threshold concentrations of acetate catabolism by Methanosarcina barkeri 227 (1.180 mM), Methanosarcina mazei S-6 (0.396 mM), and a Methanothrix sp. (0.069 mM). This indicates that the aceticlastic methanogens responsible for the conversion of acetate to methane in various ecosystems might be different, depending on the prevailing in situ acetate concentrations.

Establishment and Characterization of an Anaerobic Thermophilic (55(deg)C) Enrichment Culture Degrading Long-Chain Fatty Acids

A thermophilic, long-chain fatty acid-oxidizing culture was enriched. Stearate was used as the substrate, and methane and carbon dioxide were the sole end products. Cultivation was possible only when a fed-batch system was used or with addition of activated carbon or bentonite. The enrichment culture consisted of a short rod and two bacteria antigenically related to Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (Delta)H and Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1.

Kinetics of butyrate, acetate, and hydrogen metabolism in a thermophilic, anaerobic, butyrate-degrading triculture

Kinetics of butyrate, acetate, and hydrogen metabolism were determined with butyrate-limited, chemostat-grown tricultures of a thermophilic butyrate-utilizing bacterium together with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and the TAM organism, a thermophilic acetate-utilizing methanogenic rod. Kinetic parameters were determined from progress curves fitted to the integrated form of the Michaelis-Menten equation. The apparent half-saturation constants, K(m), for butyrate, acetate, and dissolved hydrogen were 76 muM, 0.4 mM, and 8.5 muM, respectively. Butyrate and hydrogen were metabolized to a concentration of less than 1 muM, whereas acetate uptake usually ceased at a concentration of 25 to 75 muM, indicating a threshold level for acetate uptake. No significant differences in K(m) values for butyrate degradation were found between chemostat- and batch-grown tricultures, although the maximum growth rate was somewhat higher in the batch cultures in which the medium was supplemented with yeast extract. Acetate utilization was found to be the rate-limiting reaction for complete degradation of butyrate to methane and carbon dioxide in continuous culture. Increasing the dilution rate resulted in a gradual accumulation of acetate. The results explain the low concentrations of butyrate and hydrogen normally found during anaerobic digestion and the observation that acetate is the first volatile fatty acid to accumulate upon a decrease in retention time or increase in organic loading of a digestor.

Product inhibition of butyrate metabolism by acetate and hydrogen in a thermophilic coculture

Studies on product inhibition of a thermophilic butyrate-degrading bacterium in syntrophic association with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum showed that a gas phase containing more than 2 x 10 atm (2.03 kPa) of hydrogen prevented growth and butyrate consumption, while a lower hydrogen partial pressure of 1 x 10 to 2 x 10 atm (0.1 to 2.03 kPa) gradually inhibited the butyrate consumption of the coculture. No inhibition of butyrate consumption was found on the addition of 0.75 x 10 atm (76 Pa) of hydrogen to the gas phase. A slight inhibition of butyrate consumption by the coculture occurred at an acetate concentration of 16.4 mM. Inhibition gradually increased with increasing acetate concentration up to 81.4 mM, when complete inhibition of butyrate consumption occurred. When the culture contained an acetate-utilizing methanogen in addition to M. thermoautotrophicum, the inhibition of the triculture by acetate was gradually reversed as the acetate concentration was lowered by the aceticlastic methanogen. The results show that optimal growth conditions for the thermophilic butyrate-degrading bacterium depend on both hydrogen and acetate removal.

Thermophilic anaerobic degradation of butyrate by a butyrate-utilizing bacterium in coculture and triculture with methanogenic bacteria

We studied syntrophic butyrate degradation in thermophilic mixed cultures containing a butyrate-degrading bacterium isolated in coculture with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum or in triculture with M. thermoautotrophicum and the TAM organism, a thermophilic acetate-utilizing methanogenic bacterium. Butyrate was beta-oxidized to acetate with protons as the electron acceptors. Acetate was used concurrently with its production in the triculture. We found a higher butyrate degradation rate in the triculture, in which both hydrogen and acetate were utilized, than in the coculture, in which acetate accumulated. Yeast extract, rumen fluid, and clarified digestor fluid stimulated butyrate degradation, while the effect of Trypticase was less pronounced. Penicillin G, d-cycloserine, and vancomycin caused complete inhibition of butyrate utilization by the cultures. No growth or degradation of butyrate occurred when 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid or chloroform, specific inhibitors of methanogenic bacteria, was added to the cultures and common electron acceptors such as sulfate, nitrate, and fumarate were not used with butyrate as the electron donor. Addition of hydrogen or oxygen to the gas phase immediately stopped growth and butyrate degradation by the cultures. Butyrate was, however, metabolized at approximately the same rate when hydrogen was removed from the cultures and was metabolized at a reduced rate in the cultures previously exposed to hydrogen.

Wet explosion of wheat straw and codigestion with swine manure: effect on the methane productivity

The continuously increasing demand for renewable energy sources renders anaerobic digestion to one of the most promising technologies for renewable energy production. Twenty-two (22) large-scale biogas plants are currently under operation in Denmark. Most of these plants use manure as the primary feedstock but their economical profitable operation relies on the addition of other biomass products with a high biogas yield. Wheat straw is the major crop residue in Europe and the second largest agricultural residue in the world. So far it has been used in several applications, i.e. pulp and paper making, production of regenerated cellulose fibers as an alternative to wood for cellulose-based materials and ethanol production. The advantage of exploiting wheat straw for various applications is that it is available in considerable quantity and at low-cost. In the present study, the codigestion of swine manure with wheat straw in a continuous operated system was investigated, as a method to increase the efficiency of biogas plants that are based on anaerobic digestion of swine manure. Also, the pretreatment of wheat straw with the wet explosion method was studied and the efficiency of the wet explosion process was evaluated based on (a) the sugars release and (b) the methane potential of the pretreated wheat straw compared to that of the raw biomass. It was found that, although a high release of soluble sugars was observed after wet explosion, the methane obtained from the wet-exploded wheat straw was slightly lower compared to that from the raw biomas s. On the other hand, the results from the codigestion of raw (non-pretreated) wheat straw with swine manure were very promising, suggesting that 4.6 kg of straw added to 1t of manure increase the methane production by 10%. Thus, wheat straw can be considered as a promising, low-cost biomass for increasing the methane productivity of biogas plants that are based mainly on swine manure.

Kinetics of propionate conversion in anaerobic continuously stirred tank reactors

The kinetic parameters of anaerobic propionate degradation by biomass from 7 continuously stirred tank reactors differing in temperature, hydraulic retention time and substrate composition were investigated. In substrate-depletion experiments (batch) the maximum propionate degradation rate, Amax, and the half saturation constant, Km, were initially estimated by applying the integrated Michaelis-Menten equation. Amax was in the range from 22.8 to 29.1 micromol gVS(-1) h(-1) while Km was in the range from 0.46-0.95 mM. In general, Amax gave a good reflection of the reactor performances. Secondly, the accuracy of the applied method was evaluated by use of radiotracer methodology. Amax was found to be 14-15% lower in the substrate-depletion experiment than in the radioisotope experiment due to endogenous propionate production. By including the endogenous propionate production, a 42-49% lower Km was estimated. The results demonstrate that the rate of endogenous substrate (propionate) production should be taken into account when estimating kinetic parameters in biomass from manure-based anaerobic reactors.

Energy balance and cost-benefit analysis of biogas production from perennial energy crops pretreated by wet oxidation

Perennial crops need far less energy to plant, require less fertilizer and pesticides, and show a lower negative environmental impact compared with annual crops like for example corn. This makes the cultivation of perennial crops as energy crops more sustainable than the use of annual crops. The conversion into biogas in anaerobic digestion plants shows however much lower specific methane yields for the raw perennial crops like miscanthus and willow due to their lignocellulosic structure. Without pretreatment the net energy gain is therefore lower for the perennials than for corn. When applying wet oxidation to the perennial crops, however, the specific methane yield increases significantly and the ratio of energy output to input and of costs to benefit for the whole chain of biomass supply and conversion into biogas becomes higher than for corn. This will make the use of perennial crops as energy crops competitive to the use of corn and this combination will make the production of biogas from energy crops more sustainable.

Effect of tryptone and ammonia on the biogas process in continuously stirred tank reactors treating cattle manure

Two thermophilic continuously stirred tank reactors, R1 and R2, were subject to pulses of tryptone and ammonia. R1 was operated at an ammonia-N concentration of 3.0 g l(-1) and R2 was operated at an ammonia-N concentration of 1.7 g l(-1). Shock loads of tryptone (10 g l(-1), 10 g l(-1), 15 g l(-1)) had an immediate stimulating effect on methanogenesis for both reactors illustrated by significant peaks in methane production but also led to an organic overloading illustrated by a steep increase in volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration. Three days after the pulses a second peak in acetate concentration and a decrease in methane production indicated an ammonia-inhibition of the acetoclastic methanogens. During the pulses of tryptone the performance of R1 was slightly more affected than R2. Pulses of ammonia (0.79 g l(-1) as N) resulted in a decrease in methane production of both reactors but no immediate increases in VFA concentrations was observed illustrating that the ammonia inhibition during this experiment was an overall inhibition of the biogas process and not only an inhibition of the methanogens.

Thermal pretreatment of the solid fraction of manure: impact on the biogas reactor performance and microbial community

Application of thermal treatment at 100-140 degrees C as a pretreatment method prior to anaerobic digestion of a mixture of cattle and swine manure was investigated. In a batch test, biogasification of manure with thermally pretreated solid fraction proceeded faster and resulted in the increase of methane yield. The performances of two thermophilic continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) treating manure with solid fraction pretreated for 40 minutes at 140 degrees C and non-treated manure were compared. The digester fed with the thermally pretreated manure had a higher methane productivity and an improved removal of the volatile solids (VS). The properties of microbial communities of both reactors were analysed. The specific methanogenic activity (SMA) test showed that both biomasses had significant activity towards hydrogen and formate, while the activity with the VFA - acetate, propionate and butyrate - was low. The kinetic parameters of the VFA conversion revealed a reduced affinity of the microbial community from the CSTR fed with thermally pre-treated manure for acetate, propionate and butyrate. The bacterial and archaeal populations identified by t-RLFP analysis of 16S rRNA genes were found to be identical in both systems. However, a change in the abundance of the species present was detected.

Status of ADSW 2005

Abstract The status of the recent developments in anaerobic digestion of solid waste (ADSW) is outlined on the basis of a selection of papers presented at the 4th International Symposium on ADSW 2005.

Identifiability study of the proteins degradation model, based on ADM1, using simultaneous batch experiments

The objective of the present study is to analyse kinetic and stoichiometric parameter values of gelatine anaerobic degradation at thermophilic range, based on an experiment designed to elucidate if volatile fatty acids (VFA) are inhibitors of the hydrolysis process. Results showed that VFA are not inhibiting the hydrolysis process. The ADM1 model adequately expressed the consecutive steps of hydrolysis and acidogenesis, with estimated kinetic values corresponding to a fast acidogenesis and slower hydrolysis. The hydrolysis was found to be the rate limiting step of anaerobic degradation. Estimation of yield coefficients based on the relative initial slopes of VFA profiles obtained in a simple batch experiment produced satisfactory results. From the identification study, it was concluded that it is possible to determine univocally the related kinetic parameter values for protein degradation if the evolution of amino acids is measured in simultaneous batch experiments, with different initial protein and amino acids concentrations.

Thermophilic anaerobic fermentation of olive pulp for hydrogen and methane production: modelling of the anaerobic digestion process

The present study investigates the thermophilic biohydrogen and methane production from olive pulp, which is the semi-solid residue coming from the two-phase processing of olives. It focussed on: a) production of methane from the raw olive pulp; b) anaerobic bio-production of hydrogen from the olive pulp; c) subsequent anaerobic treatment of the hydrogen-effluent with the simultaneous production of methane; and d) development of a mathematical model able to describe the anaerobic digestion of the olive pulp and the effluent of hydrogen producing process. Both continuous and batch experiments were performed. The hydrogen potential of the olive pulp amounted to 1.6 mmole H2 per g TS. The methane potential of the raw olive pulp and hydrogen-effluent was as high as 19 mmole CH4 per g TS suggesting that: a) olive pulp is a suitable substrate for methane production; and b) biohydrogen production can be very efficiently coupled with a subsequent step for methane production.

Strategies for the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste: an overview

Different process strategies for anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) are reviewed weighing high-solids versus low-solids, mesophilic versus thermophilic and single-stage versus multi-stage processes. The influence of different waste characteristics such as composition of biodegradable fractions, C:N ratio and particle size is described. Generally, source sorting of OFMSW and a high content of food waste leads to higher biogas yields than the use of mechanically sorted OFMSW. Thermophilic processes are more efficient than mesophilic processes in terms of higher biogas yields at different organic loading rates (OLR). Highest biogas yields are achieved by means of wet thermophilic processes at OLRs lower than 6 kg-VS x m(-3) d(-1). High-solids processes appear to be relatively more efficient when OLRs higher than 6 kg-VS x m(-3)d(-1) are applied. Multi-stage systems show in some investigations a higher reduction of recalcitrant organic matter compared to single-stage systems, but they are seldom applied in full-scale. An extended cost-benefit calculation shows that the highest overall benefit of the process is achieved at an OLR that is lower and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) that is longer than those values of OLR and HRT, at which the highest biogas production is achieved.

Thermal pre-treatment of primary and secondary sludge at 70 degrees C prior to anaerobic digestion

In general, mesophilic anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge is more widely used compared to thermophilic digestion, mainly because of the lower energy requirements and higher stability of the process. However, the thermophilic anaerobic digestion process is usually characterised by accelerated biochemical reactions and higher growth rate of microorganisms resulting in an increased methanogenic potential at lower hydraulic retention times. Furthermore, thermal pre-treatment is suitable for the improvement of stabilization and could be realized at relatively low cost especially at low temperatures. The present study investigates the effect of the pre-treatment at 70 degrees C on thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion of primary and secondary sludge in continuously operated digesters. Thermal pre-treatment of primary and secondary sludge at 70 degrees C enhanced the removal of organic matter and the methane production during the subsequent anaerobic digestion step at 55 degrees C. It also greatly contributed to the destruction of pathogens present in primary sludge. Finally it results in enhanced microbial activities of the subsequent anaerobic step suggesting that the same efficiencies in organic matter removal and methane recovery could be obtained at lower HRTs.

Potential for biohydrogen and methane production from olive pulp

The present study investigates the potential for thermophilic biohydrogen and methane production from olive pulp, which is the semi-solid residue coming from the two-phase processing of olives. It focussed on: a) production of methane from the raw olive pulp, b) anaerobic bio-production of hydrogen from the olive pulp, and c) subsequent anaerobic treatment of the hydrogen-effluent with the simultaneous production of methane. Both continuous and batch experiments were performed. The hydrogen potential of the olive pulp amounted to 1.6 mmole H2 per g TS. The methane potential of the raw olive pulp and hydrogen-effluent was as high as 19 mmole CH4 per g TS. This suggests that olive pulp is an ideal substrate for methane production and it shows that biohydrogen production can be very efficiently coupled with a subsequent step for methane production.

Inhibition of ethanol-producing yeast and bacteria by degradation products produced during pre-treatment of biomass

An overview of the different inhibitors formed by pre-treatment of lignocellulosic materials and their inhibition of ethanol production in yeast and bacteria is given. Different high temperature physical pre-treatment methods are available to render the carbohydrates in lignocellulose accessible for ethanol fermentation. The resulting hydrolyzsates contain substances inhibitory to fermentation-depending on both the raw material (biomass) and the pre-treatment applied. An overview of the inhibitory effect on ethanol production by yeast and bacteria is presented. Apart from furans formed by sugar degradation, phenol monomers from lignin degradation are important co-factors in hydrolysate inhibition, and inhibitory effects of these aromatic compounds on different ethanol producing microorganisms is reviewed. The furans and phenols generally inhibited growth and ethanol production rate (Q(EtOH)) but not the ethanol yields (Y(EtOH)) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Within the same phenol functional group (aldehyde, ketone, and acid) the inhibition of volumetric ethanol productivity was found to depend on the amount of methoxyl substituents and hence hydrophobicity (log P). Many pentose-utilizing strains Escherichia coli, Pichia stipititis, and Zymomonas mobilis produce ethanol in concentrated hemicellulose liquors but detoxification by overliming is needed. Thermoanaerobacter mathranii A3M3 can grow on pentoses and produce ethanol in hydrolysate without any need for detoxification.

Inhibition of ethanol-producing yeast and bacteria by degradation products produced during pre-treatment of biomass

An overview of the different inhibitors formed by pre-treatment of lignocellulosic materials and their inhibition of ethanol production in yeast and bacteria is given. Different high temperature physical pre-treatment methods are available to render the carbohydrates in lignocellulose accessible for ethanol fermentation. The resulting hydrolyzsates contain substances inhibitory to fermentation-depending on both the raw material (biomass) and the pre-treatment applied. An overview of the inhibitory effect on ethanol production by yeast and bacteria is presented. Apart from furans formed by sugar degradation, phenol monomers from lignin degradation are important co-factors in hydrolysate inhibition, and inhibitory effects of these aromatic compounds on different ethanol producing microorganisms is reviewed. The furans and phenols generally inhibited growth and ethanol production rate (Q(EtOH)) but not the ethanol yields (Y(EtOH)) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Within the same phenol functional group (aldehyde, ketone, and acid) the inhibition of volumetric ethanol productivity was found to depend on the amount of methoxyl substituents and hence hydrophobicity (log P). Many pentose-utilizing strains Escherichia coli, Pichia stipititis, and Zymomonas mobilis produce ethanol in concentrated hemicellulose liquors but detoxification by overliming is needed. Thermoanaerobacter mathranii A3M3 can grow on pentoses and produce ethanol in hydrolysate without any need for detoxification.

Potential for using thermophilic anaerobic bacteria for bioethanol production from hemicellulose

A limited number of bacteria, yeast and fungi can convert hemicellulose or its monomers (xylose, arabinose, mannose and galactose) into ethanol with a satisfactory yield and productivity. In the present study we tested a number of thermophilic enrichment cultures, and new isolates of thermophilic anaerobic bacterial strains growing optimally at 70–80°C for their ethanol production from d-xylose. The new isolates came from different natural and man-made systems such as hot springs, paper pulp mills and brewery waste water. The test was composed of three different steps; (i) test for conversion of d-xylose into ethanol; (ii) test for viability and ethanol production in pretreated wheat straw hemicellulose hydrolysate; (iii) test for tolerance against high d-xylose concentrations. A total of 86 enrichment cultures and 58 pure cultures were tested and five candidates were selected which successfully fulfilled the criteria defined for the screening test.

Comparison of two-stage thermophilic (68°C/55°C) anaerobic digestion with one-stage thermophilic (55°C) digestion of cattle manure

A two-stage 68 degrees C/55 degrees C anaerobic degradation process for treatment of cattle manure was studied. In batch experiments, an increase of the specific methane yield, ranging from 24% to 56%, was obtained when cattle manure and its fractions (fibers and liquid) were pretreated at 68 degrees C for periods of 36, 108, and 168 h, and subsequently digested at 55 degrees C. In a lab-scale experiment, the performance of a two-stage reactor system, consisting of a digester operating at 68 degrees C with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days, connected to a 55 degrees C reactor with 12-day HRT, was compared with a conventional single-stage reactor running at 55 degrees C with 15-days HRT. When an organic loading of 3 g volatile solids (VS) per liter per day was applied, the two-stage setup had a 6% to 8% higher specific methane yield and a 9% more effective VS-removal than the conventional single-stage reactor. The 68 degrees C reactor generated 7% to 9% of the total amount of methane of the two-stage system and maintained a volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration of 4.0 to 4.4 g acetate per liter. Population size and activity of aceticlastic methanogens, syntrophic bacteria, and hydrolytic/fermentative bacteria were significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. The density levels of methanogens utilizing H2/CO2 or formate were, however, in the same range for all reactors, although the degradation of these substrates was significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis profiles (TTGE) of the 68 degrees C reactor demonstrated a stable bacterial community along with a less divergent community of archaeal species.

Purification of bioethanol effluent in an UASB reactor system with simultaneous biogas formation

In this study, the prospect of using an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor for detoxification of process water derived from bioethanol production has been investigated. The bioethanol effluent (BEE) originated from wet oxidized wheat straw fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Thermoanaerobacter mathranii A3M4 to produce ethanol from glucose and xylose, respectively. In batch experiments the methane potential of BEE was determined to 529 mL-CH(4)/g-VS. In batch degradation experiments it was shown that the presence of BEE had a positive influence on the removal of the inhibitors 2-furoic acid, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, and acetovanillone as compared to conversion of the inhibitors as sole substrate in synthetic media. Furthermore, experiments were carried out treating BEE in a laboratory-scale UASB reactor. The results showed a Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal of 80% (w/w) at an organic loading rate of 29 g-COD/(L. d). GC analysis of the lignocellulosic related potentially inhibitory compounds 2-furoic acid, vanillic acid, homovanillic acid, acetovanillone, syringic acid, acetosyringone, syringol, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde showed that all of these compounds were removed from the BEE in the reactor. Implementation of a UASB purification step was found to be a promising approach to detoxify process water from bioethanol production allowing for recirculation of the process water and reduced production costs.

Molecular ecology of anaerobic reactor systems

Anaerobic reactor systems are essential for the treatment of solid and liquid wastes and constitute a core facility in many waste treatment plants. Although much is known about the basic metabolism in different types of anaerobic reactors, little is known about the microbes responsible for these processes. Only a few percent of Bacteria and Archaea have so far been isolated, and almost nothing is known about the dynamics and interactions between these and other microorganisms. This lack of knowledge is most clearly exemplified by the sometimes unpredictable and unexplainable failures and malfunctions of anaerobic digesters occasionally experienced, leading to sub-optimal methane production and wastewater treatment. Using a variety of molecular techniques, we are able to determine which microorganisms are active, where they are active, and when they are active, but we still need to determine why and what they are doing. As genetic manipulations of anaerobes have been shown in only a few species permitting in-situ gene expression studies, the only way to elucidate the function of different microbes is to correlate the metabolic capabilities of isolated microbes in pure culture to the abundance of each microbe in anaerobic reactor systems by rRNA probing. This chapter focuses on various molecular techniques employed and problems encountered when elucidating the microbial ecology of anaerobic reactor systems. Methods such as quantitative dot blot/fluorescence in-situ probing using various specific nucleic acid probes are discussed and exemplified by studies of anaerobic granular sludge, biofilm and digester systems.

Potential for anaerobic conversion of xenobiotics

This review covers the latest research on the anaerobic biodegradation of aromatic xenobiotic compounds, with emphasis on surfactants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalate esters, polychlorinated biphenyls, halogenated phenols, and pesticides. The versatility of anaerobic reactor systems regarding the treatment of xenobiotics is shown with the focus on the UASB reactor, but the applicability of other reactor designs for treatment of hazardous waste is also included. Bioaugmentation has proved to be a viable technique to enhance a specific activity in anaerobic reactors and recent research on reactor and in situ bioaugmentation is reported.

Potential inhibitors from wet oxidation of wheat straw and their effect on ethanol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: wet oxidation and fermentation by yeast

Alkaline wet oxidation (WO) (using water, 6.5 g/L sodium carbonate and 12 bar oxygen at 195 degrees C) was used as pretreatment method for wheat straw (60 g/L), resulting in a hydrolysate and a cellulosic solid fraction. The hydrolysate consisted of soluble hemicellulose (8 g/L), low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids (3.9 g/L), phenols (0.27 g/L = 1.7 mM) and 2-furoic acid (0.007 g/L). The wet oxidized wheat straw hydrolysate caused no inhibition of ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 96581. Nine phenols and 2-furoic acid, identified to be present in the hydrolysate, were each tested in concentrations of 50-100 times the concentration found in the hydrolysate for their effect on fermentation by yeast. At these high concentrations (10 mM), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, 4-hydroxyacetophenone and acetovanillone caused a 53-67% decrease in the volumetric ethanol productivity in S. cerevisiae compared to controls with an ethanol productivity of 3.8 g/L. The phenol acids (4-hydroxy, vanillic and syringic acid), 2-furoic acid, syringaldehyde and acetosyringone were less inhibitory, causing a 5-16% decrease in ethanol productivity. By adding the same aromatic compounds to hydrolysate (10 mM), it was shown that syringaldehyde and acetovanillone interacted negatively with hydrolysate components on the ethanol productivity. Fermentation in WO hydrolysate, that had been concentrated 6 times by freeze-drying, lasted 4 hours longer than in regular hydrolysate; however, the ethanol yield was the same. The longer fermentation time could not be explained by an inhibitory action of phenols alone, but was more likely caused by inhibitory interactions of phenols with carboxylic acids, such as acetic and formic acid.

Toxicity of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on the anaerobic digestion of wastewater sludge

Previous studies on the microbial degradation of individual phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have demonstrated that the compounds with short ester hydrocarbon chains are easily biodegraded and mineralized, but PAEs with long ester chains are less susceptible to degradation and some of them are considered recalcitrant. Moreover, they inhibit methanogenesis. However, studies have not been made on the effect of feeding a combination of recalcitrant and biodegradable PAEs into anaerobic digesters treating wastewater sludge. The present study was conducted with wastewater sludge from the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation's Hyperion Treatment Plant. Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), the most common persistent PAE found in wastewater, and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), a common PAE with short ester chains, were sorbed into the sludge fed to a bench-scale digester for a period of 12 weeks. DEHP degradation was always poor, and accumulation of DEHP was correlated with inhibition of the microbial degradation of DBP and with process instability of the test digester. Inhibition of the DBP removal was completely reversed after DEHP addition was discontinued, but biogas production never recovered to the level observed in a control digester. Other process parameters of digester performance were not affected by DEHP accumulation. These results are similar to the toxic effects of long chain fatty acids on sludge digestion, suggesting that DEHP or its degradation products affect all the microbial populations in the anaerobic bioreactor. Our results imply that high levels of DEHP or other recalcitrant PAEs in wastewater sludge are likely to compromise methanogenesis and removal of biodegradable PAEs in sludge digesters.

Phthalic acid esters found in municipal organic waste: enhanced anaerobic degradation under hyper-thermophilic conditions

Contamination of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with xenobiotic compounds and their fate during anaerobic digestion was investigated. The phthalic acid ester di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) was identified as the main contaminant in OFMSW in concentrations more than half of the threshold value for the use as fertilizer on agricultural soil in Denmark. Analysis of DEHP in samples before and after large-scale anaerobic digesters revealed higher concentrations of DEHP per kg dry matter in the effluent than in the influent. The concentration of DEHP and DBP (dibutylphthalate) in OFMSW was monitored in the influent and effluent of anaerobic thermophilic (55 degrees C) and hyper-thermophilic (68 degrees C) laboratory-scale reactor systems. In the thermophilic reactors with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15 days 38-70% of DBP was removed, but no consistent removal of DEHP was observed. However, after treatment of the effluent from the thermophilic reactor in a hyper-thermophilic digester (HRT: 5 days) 34-53% of the DEHP content was removed and the DBP removal was increased to further 62-74%. Removal rates (k(h)) of DEHP and DBP were found to be 0.11-0.32 d(-1) and 0.41-0.79 d(-1), which is much higher than in previous investigations. It can be concluded that the higher removal rates are due to the higher temperature and higher initial concentrations per kg dry matter. These results suggest that the limiting factor for DEHP degradation is the bioavailability, which is enhanced at higher temperature and higher degradation of solid organic matter, to which the highly hydrophobic DEHP is adsorbed. The investigated reactor configuration with a thermophilic and a hyper-thermophilic treatment is, therefore, a good option for combining high rate degradation of organic matter with high biogas yields and efficient reduction of the phthalic acid ester contamination.

Anaerobic digestion of manure and mixture of manure with lipids: biogas reactor performance and microbial community analysis

Anaerobic digestion of cattle manure and a mixture of cattle manure with glycerol trioleate (GTO) was studied in lab-scale, continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) operated at 37 degrees C. The reactor codigesting manure and lipids exhibited a significantly higher specific methane yield and a higher removal of VS than the reactor treating manure. Microbial population analysis done by cultivation--most probable number (MPN) test and specific methanogenic activity (SMA) measurement, revealed higher MPN and increased SMA of methanogenic populations of biomass from the reactor codigesting manure and lipids. Spatial microbial distribution and activity was studied in digested materials fractionated into size of particles > 200 microm, 50-200 microm and 0.45-50 microm. With manure, the main pool of methanogenic activity from propionate, butyrate and hydrogen was associated with the particles > 200 microm, while the activity of acetotrophic methanogens was uniformly distributed in all fractions. When digesting manure and lipids, an enhanced methanogenesis was detected both for particles > 200 microm and the 50-200 microm fraction. The molecular methods--temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), cloning library and sequencing of 16S rDNA--showed presence of a restricted number of archaeal species in both reactors. The vast majority of clones was phylogenetically most closely related to Methanosarcina siciliae.

Separation efficiency and particle size distribution in relation to manure type and storage conditions

Mechanical separation of liquid animal manure can be an effective technique for production of a liquid and a nutrient-rich solid fraction. The efficiency of separators depends on the physical and chemical composition of the animal manure. Therefore, the particle size composition was measured for different types of manure before treatment with a decanting centrifuge and a screw press. Storage of pig manure reduces the total dry matter content, and the content of small particles (< 0.0016 mm) is reduced more than the content of large particles. In consequence, the proportion of large particles will increase, while the portion of small particles will decrease. The separation efficiency of the screw press was found to be low, as this separator only retains particles > 1 mm. The decanter centrifuge retained all the particles > 0.02 mm and was therefore much more efficient than the screw press. Separation efficiency was also found to be highly dependent on the type of manure used.

Changing mesophilic wastewater sludge digestion into thermophilic operation at Terminal Island Treatment Plant

This paper describes the progress up to June 2000 for thermophilic digestion of wastewater sludge at the Los Angeles, California, Bureau of Sanitation's Terminal Island Treatment Plant. The development of the microorganism culture has followed a course similar to that seen at other successful plants for establishment of a stable, well-balanced thermophilic culture in a large digester, but at an accelerated pace. This study began with rapid heating, increasing the temperature of the 4500 m3 (1.2 mil. gal) digester to the target temperature of 55 degrees C at approximately 3 degrees C/d. A method of feeding to maximize the rate of culture development was used as feeding accelerated to approximately 400 m3/d (0.1 mgd). An initial rise of acid concentration (primarily acetate) was seen. Within two weeks, acid concentration declined and stabilized, indicating that acidogenic and methanogenic microbial communities came into balance. Coliform data indicate that digester disinfection was stably effective from the middle of April. The salmonella tests done to date satisfy the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) class A specification. Testing with helminth ova and enteric viruses before and after the digester shows satisfaction of class A standard for those organisms. The present combination of low volatile fatty acids and low hydrogen sulfide is good news for odor control. The data show increases in volatile solids destruction and estimated gas production, compared with the previous mesophilic operation; however, large uncertainties have been calculated from the data. As the digester is now operating successfully at the current feed rate, there seems to be no barriers to processing the entire sludge production of the plant. Other results indicate that the U.S. EPA requirements for exceptional quality class A biosolids are likely to be achieved.

Anaerobic biodegradation of spent sulphite liquor in a UASB reactor

Anaerobic biodegradation of fermented spent sulphite liquor, SSL, which is produced during the manufacture of sulphite pulp, was investigated. SSL contains a high concentration of lignin products in addition to hemicellulose and has a very high COD load (173 g COD l(-1)). Batch experiments with diluted SSL and pretreated SSL indicated a potential of 12-22 l methane per litre SSL, which corresponds to 0.13-0.22 l methane (g VS)(-1) and COD removal of up to 37%. COD removal in a mesophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket, UASB. reactor ranged from 10% to 31% at an organic loading rate, OLR, of 10-51 g (1 d)(-1) and hydraulic retention time from 3.7 to 1.5 days. The biogas productivity was 3 1 (l(reactor d)(-1), with a yield of 0.05 l gas (g VS)(-1). These results suggest that anaerobic digestion in UASB reactors may provide a new alternative for the treatment of SSL to other treatment strategies such as incineration. Although the total COD reduction achieved is limited, bioenergy is produced and readily biodegradable matter is removed causing less load on post-treatment installations.

Formation of metabolites during biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor under thermophilic conditions

Biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) was shown in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor under thermophilic conditions. The reactor was inoculated with granular biomass and fed with a synthetic medium and 3 micromol/L of a mixture of LAS with alkylchain length of 10 to 13 carbon atoms. The reactor was operated with a hydraulic retention time of 12 h with effluent recirculation in an effluent to influent ratio of 5 to 1. A sterile reactor operated in parallel revealed that sorption to sludge particles initially accounted for a major LAS removal. After 8 days of reactor operation, the removal of LAS in the reactor inoculated with active granular biomass exceeded the removal in the sterile reactor inoculated with sterile granular biomass. The effect of sorption ceased after 185 to 555 h depending on the LAS homologs. 40% of the LAS was biodegraded, and the removal rate was 0.5 x 10(-6) mol/h/mL granular biomass. Acidified effluent from the reactor was subjected to dichloromethane extraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Benzenesulfonic acid and benzaldehyde were detected in the reactor effluent from the reactor with active granular biomass but not in the sterile and unamended reactor effluent. Benzenesulfonic acid and benzaldehyde are the first identified degradation products in the anaerobic degradation of LAS.

Anaerobic treatment of sludge: focusing on reduction of LAS concentration in sludge

Anaerobic degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) was tested in continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR). LAS12 was used as a model compound and was spiked on sewage sludge. The experiments clearly showed that transformation of LAS12 occurred under anaerobic conditions. The degree oftransformation varied between 14% and 25%. HPLC analysis showed that disappearance of LAS12 was followed by the formation of a metabolite. The experiments indicated that there is a clear correlation between degradation of organic matter contained in sludge and transformation of LAS 12. When the reduction degree of the organic matter increased from 22% to 28%, the transformation degree of LAS12 also increased, from 14% to 20%. Decreasing the total solids concentration of the influent sludge or increasing the spiked concentration of LAS12 did not alter the degree of LAS12 transformation significantly. A clear correlation between transformed and bioavailable LAS12 was found, indicating that it is merely the bioavailable fraction of LAS12 that is transformed by anaerobic digestion. The results from the present study are promising and indicate that a great potential for biological degradation of LAS is possible even at anaerobic conditions.

State of the art and future perspectives of thermophilic anaerobic digestion

The state of the art of thermophilic digestion is discussed. Thermophilic digestion is a well established technology in Europe for treatment of mixtures of waste in common large scale biogas plants or for treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Due to a large number of failures over time with thermophilic digestion of sewage sludge this process has lost its appeal in the USA. New demands on sanitation of biosolids before land use will, however, bring the attention back to the use of elevated temperatures during sludge stabilization. In the paper we show how the use of a start-up strategy based on the actual activity of key microbes can be used to ensure proper and fast transfer of mesophilic digesters into thermophilic operation. Extreme thermophilic temperatures of 65 degrees C or more may be necessary in the future to meet the demands for full sanitation of the waste material before final disposal. We show data of anaerobic digestion at extreme thermophilic temperatures.

A novel in-situ sampling and VFA sensor technique for anaerobic systems

A key information for understanding and controlling the anaerobic biogas process is the concentration of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA). However, access to this information has so far been limited to off-line measurements by manual time and labour consuming methods. We have developed a new technique that has made it possible to monitor VFA on-line in one of the most difficult media: animal slurry or manure. A novel in-situ filtration technique has made it possible to perform microfiltration inside the reactor system. This filter enables sampling from closed reactor systems without large scale pumping and filtering. Using this filtration technique together with commercially available membrane filters we have constructed a VFA sensor system that can perform automatic analysis on animal slurry at a frequency as high as every 15 minutes. The VFA sensor has been tested for a period of more than 60 days with more than 1000 samples on both a full-scale biogas plant and lab-scale reactors. The measuring range covers specific measurements of acetate, propionate, iso-/n-butyrate and iso-/n-valerate from 0.1 to 50 mM (6-3,000 mg).

A new model for anaerobic processes of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors based on cellular automata

The advantageous performance of the UASB reactors is due to the immobilisation of the active biomass, since bacteria coagulate forming aggregates usually called granules. Changes in organic loading rate, hydraulic loading rate or influent substrate composition usually result in changes in granule characteristics and lead to different reactor behaviour. A dynamic mathematical model has been developed for the anaerobic digestion of a glucose based synthetic wastewater in UASB reactors. Cellular automata (CA) theory has been applied to simulate the granule development process. The model takes into consideration that granule diameter and granule microbial composition are functions of the reactor operational parameters and is capable of predicting the UASB performance and the layer structure of the granules.

A comprehensive study into the molecular methodology and molecular biology of methanogenic Archaea

Methanogens belong to the kingdom of Euryarchaeota in the domain of Archaea. The Archaea differ from Bacteria in many aspects important to molecular work. Among these are cell wall composition, their sensitivity to antibiotics, their translation and transcription machinery, and their very strict demands to anaerobic culture conditions. These differences may, at least partly, be responsible for the delay in availability of genetic research tools for methanogens. At present, however, the research within genetics of methanogens and their gene regulation and expression is in rapid progress. Two complete methanogenic genomes have been sequenced and published and more are underway. Besides, sequences are known from a multitude of individual genes from methanogens. Standard methods for simple DNA and RNA work can normally be employed, but permeabilization of the cell wall may demand special procedures. Efficient genetic manipulation systems, including shuttle and integration vector systems, have appeared for mesophilic, but not for thermophilic species within the last few years and will have a major impact on future investigations of methanogenic molecular biology.

Potential inhibitors from wet oxidation of wheat straw and their effect on growth and ethanol production by Thermoanaerobacter mathranii

Alkaline wet oxidation (WO) (using water, 6.5 g/l sodium carbonate, and 12 bar oxygen at 195 degrees C) was used for pre-treating wheat straw (60 g/l), resulting in a hemicellulose-rich hydrolysate and a cellulose-rich solid fraction. The hydrolysate consisted of soluble hemicellulose (9 g/l), aliphatic carboxylic acids (6 g/l), phenols (0.27 g/l or 1.7 mM), and 2-furoic acid (0.007 g/l). The wet-oxidized wheat straw hydrolysate caused no inhibition of ethanol yield by the anaerobic thermophilic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter mathranii. Nine phenols and 2-furoic acid, identified to be present in the hydrolysate, were each tested in concentrations of 10-100x the concentration found in the hydrolysate for their effect on fermentation by T. mathranii. At 2 mM, these aromatic compounds were not inhibitory to growth or ethanol yield in T. mathranii. When the concentration of aromatics was increased to 10 mM, the fermentation was severely inhibited by the phenol aldehydes and to a lesser extent by the phenol ketones. By adding the same aromatic compounds to WO hydrolysate (10 mM), synergistic inhibitory effects of all tested compounds with hydrolysate components were shown. When the hydrolysate was concentrated three- and six-fold, growth and fermentation with T. mathranii were inhibited. At a six-fold hydrolysate concentration, the total concentration of phenolic monomers was 17 mM; hence aromatic monomers are an important co-factor in hydrolysate inhibition.

Acetate conversion in anaerobic biogas reactors: traditional and molecular tools for studying this important group of anaerobic microorganisms

Different methods were applied to study the role of aceticlastic methanogens in biogas reactors treating solid waste and wastewater. We used traditional microbiological methods, immunological and 16S rRNA ribosomal probes for detection of the methanogens. Using this approach we identified the methanogenic spp. and their activity. In biofilm systems, such as the UASB reactors the presence of the two aceticlastic methanogens could be correlated to the difference in the kinetic properties of the two species. In biogas reactors treating solid wastes, such as manure or mixture of manure and organic industrial waste, only Methanosarcina spp. were identified. Methanosarcina spp. isolated from different plants had different kinetics depending on their origin. Relating the reactor performance data to measurement of the activity by conventional microbiological methods gave a good indication of the microbial status of specific trophic groups. 16S rRNA probing confirmed these observations and gave a more detailed picture of the microbial groups present.

Degradation of organic contaminants found in organic waste

In recent years, great interest has arisen in recycling of the waste created by modern society. A common way of recycling the organic fraction is amendment on farmland. However, these wastes may contain possible hazardous components in small amounts, which may prevent their use in farming. The objective of our study has been to develop biological methods by which selected organic xenobiotic compounds can be biotransformed by anaerobic or aerobic treatment. Screening tests assessed the capability of various inocula to degrade two phthalates di-n-butylphthalate, and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and three nonylphenol ethoxylates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic conditions, by selecting the appropriate inoculum most of the selected xenobiotics could be degraded. Aerobic degradation of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was only possible with leachate from a landfill as inoculum. Anaerobic degradation of some of the compounds was also detected. Leachate showed capability of degrading phthalates, and anaerobic sludge showed potential for degrading, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and nonyl phenol ethoxylates. The results are promising as they indicate that a great potential for biological degradation is present, though the inoculum containing the microorganisms capable of transforming the recalcitrant xenobiotics has to be chosen carefully.

Effect of temperature increase from 55 to 65 degrees C on performance and microbial population dynamics of an anaerobic reactor treating cattle manure

The effect of a temperature increase from 55 to 65 degrees C on process performance and microbial population dynamics were investigated in thermophilic, lab-scale, continuously stirred tank reactors. The reactors had a working volume of 31 and were fed with cattle manure at an organic loading rate of 3 g VS/l reactor volume/d. The hydraulic retention time in the reactors was 15 days. A stable reactor performance was obtained for periods of three retention times both at 55 degrees C and 65 degrees C. At 65 degrees C methane yield stabilized at approximately 165ml/g VS/d compared to 200 ml/g VS/d at 55 degrees C. Simultaneously, the level of total volatile fatty acids, VFA, increased from being below 0.3 g/l to 1.8-2.4 g acetate/l. The specific methanogenic activities (SMA) of biomass from the reactors were measured with acetate, propionate, butyrate, hydrogen, formate and glucose. At 65 degrees C. a decreased activity was found for glucose-, acetate-, butyrate- and formate-utilizers and no significant activity was measured with propionate. Only the hydrogen-consuming methanogens showed an enhanced activity at 65 degrees C. Numbers of cultivable methanogens, estimated by the most probable number (MPN) method, were significantly lower on glucose, acetate and butyrate at the increased operational temperature, while the numbers of hydrogenotrophic methanogens remained unchanged. No viable propionate-degrading bacteria were enriched at 65 C. Use of ribosomal oligonucleotide probes showed that an increase in temperature resulted in a decreased contribution of the rRNA of the domain bacteria from 74-79 to 57-62% of the universal probe, while the rRNA of the domain archaea, increased from 18-23 to 34-36%.

Amplification and direct sequence analysis of the 23S rRNA gene from thermophilic bacteria

We present a simplified and fast method to obtain high-quality sequences directly from PCRs without the traditional gel purification. We also report on an improved method to obtain sequence-quality PCR products from microorganisms that are difficult to lyse with no need for DNA extraction. The technique uses exonuclease 1 and shrimp alkaline phosphatase to degrade residual dNTPs and primers. Our technique is shown to work on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

New perspectives in anaerobic digestion

The IWA specialised group on anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the oldest working groups of the former IAWQ organisation. Despite the fact that anaerobic technology dates back more than 100 years, the technology is still under development, adapting novel treatment systems to the modern requirements. In fact, most advances were achieved during the last three decades, when high-rate reactor systems were developed and a profound insight was obtained in the microbiology of the anaerobic communities. This insight led to a better understanding of anaerobic treatment and, subsequently, to a broader application potential. The present "state-of-the-art" paper, which has been written by members of the AD management committee, reflects the latest achievements and sets future lines for further development.

In situ reverse transcription-PCR for monitoring gene expression in individual Methanosarcina mazei S-6 cells

An in situ reverse transcription-PCR protocol for detecting specific mRNA in Methanosarcina mazei S-6 is described. This method allowed us to detect heat shock-induced increases in the intracellular levels of the transcript of the universal stress gene dnaK. The cell walls of paraformaldehyde-fixed cells were permeabilized by a thermal cycling procedure or by lysozyme treatment, and the cellular DNA was removed with DNase. The cells were subjected to a seminested reverse transcription-PCR protocol in which a digoxigenin-labeled primer was used. Detection of the reporter molecule was based on the 2-hydroxy-3-naphtoic acid-2'-phenylanilide phosphate-Fast Red detection system and binding of anti-digoxigenin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate. Fluorescence in permeabilized cells increased after a heat shock compared to fluorescence in non-heat-shocked cells, and the increase corresponded to an increase in the level of the dnaK transcript.

Growth kinetics of thermophilic Methanosarcina spp. isolated from full-scale biogas plants treating animal manures

This study determines the growth kinetics of thermophilic strains of Methanosarcina spp. from full-scale thermophilic biogas plants. The complete set of kinetic parameters, including maximum specific growth rate µ(max), half saturation constant K(S), acetate threshold concentration and cell growth yield Y(X/S), were determined for six Methanosarcina strains newly isolated from full-scale reactors and the type strain Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1(T). The kinetic experiments were performed in media supplemented with acetate and activated carbon at the optimum growth temperatures of the individual strains, 50-55 degrees C. The µ(max) values of the isolates were in the range of 0.044-0.064 h(-1), the K(S) ranged from 6.5 to 24.7 mM acetate and the threshold for acetate utilization from 0.11 to 0.40 mM. The cell growth yields of the strains were between 0.78 and 2.97 g dry weight cells mol(-1) acetate. The six isolates exhibited significantly higher µ(max) and had higher affinity to acetate than the type strain M. thermophila TM-1(T). Generally, the affinities of thermophilic Methanosarcina strains tested in this study cover a similar range to those reported in the literature for mesophilic Methanosarcina spp. with acetate as substrate. The strains isolated from plants treating mixtures of animal manures and industrial organic wastes had higher affinity for acetate and lower thresholds than strains isolated from reactors operating solely on manures.

Increase of anaerobic degradation of particulate organic matter in full-scale biogas plants by mechanical maceration

Different concepts of implementation of mechanical pretreatment for enhancing the biogas potential from fibers in manure feedstock were evaluated by sampling before and after macerators at different biogas plants and from a fiber separation unit. An increase of the biogas potential of up to 25% by pretreatment of the whole feed in the macerator before the reactor was observed. Implementation concepts with a treatment of the fibers alone after separation from the manure showed to be not efficient due to a low recovery of organic matter in the fibers by the separation unit. The low operational costs of a macerator make it attractive to use this pretreatment method for a more complete degradation of particulate organic matter. Investigation of the size distribution of the fibers showed that a change in biogas potential was not correlated to a smaller size of the fibers. Results from the macerators indicate that the biodegradability of the fibers is rather enhanced by shearing which is not necessarily reflected by a change in fiber size.

Methods for increasing the biogas potential from the recalcitrant organic matter contained in manure

The biogas potential of manure could be significantly increased by treatment of the recalcitrant organic matter (biofibers) contained in the manure. Several treatment methods were tested. Mechanical maceration resulted in an average increase of the biogas potential of approximately 17% as shown by the continuous stirred reactor experiment. In general the smaller the fibers the higher the biogas potential was. The best results showed an approximately 20% increase of the biogas potential with fibers smaller than 0.35 mm as measured by batch experiments. The increase was approximately 16% with fibers of size 2 mm. Chemical treatment of the fibers with bases such as NaOH, NH4OH or a combination of bases also resulted in an increased methane potential. However, combination of maceration and chemical treatment did not result in a further increase of the methane potential. There was not any significant difference of the biogas potential from fibers in the range 5-20 mm. Treatment of the fibers with hemicellulolytic or cellulolytic enzymes did not result in any significant increase of the methane potential. However, biological treatment of the fibers of the manure with the hemicellulose degrading bacterium B4 resulted in a significant increase of the biogas potential of manure. An increase of approximately 30% in methane potential was achieved compared to controls.

Stress genes and proteins in the archaea

The field covered in this review is new; the first sequence of a gene encoding the molecular chaperone Hsp70 and the first description of a chaperonin in the archaea were reported in 1991. These findings boosted research in other areas beyond the archaea that were directly relevant to bacteria and eukaryotes, for example, stress gene regulation, the structure-function relationship of the chaperonin complex, protein-based molecular phylogeny of organisms and eukaryotic-cell organelles, molecular biology and biochemistry of life in extreme environments, and stress tolerance at the cellular and molecular levels. In the last 8 years, archaeal stress genes and proteins belonging to the families Hsp70, Hsp60 (chaperonins), Hsp40(DnaJ), and small heat-shock proteins (sHsp) have been studied. The hsp70(dnaK), hsp40(dnaJ), and grpE genes (the chaperone machine) have been sequenced in seven, four, and two species, respectively, but their expression has been examined in detail only in the mesophilic methanogen Methanosarcina mazei S-6. The proteins possess markers typical of bacterial homologs but none of the signatures distinctive of eukaryotes. In contrast, gene expression and transcription initiation signals and factors are of the eucaryal type, which suggests a hybrid archaeal-bacterial complexion for the Hsp70 system. Another remarkable feature is that several archaeal species in different phylogenetic branches do not have the gene hsp70(dnaK), an evolutionary puzzle that raises the important question of what replaces the product of this gene, Hsp70(DnaK), in protein biogenesis and refolding and for stress resistance. Although archaea are prokaryotes like bacteria, their Hsp60 (chaperonin) family is of type (group) II, similar to that of the eukaryotic cytosol; however, unlike the latter, which has several different members, the archaeal chaperonin system usually includes only two (in some species one and in others possibly three) related subunits of approximately 60 kDa. These form, in various combinations depending on the species, a large structure or chaperonin complex sometimes called the thermosome. This multimolecular assembly is similar to the bacterial chaperonin complex GroEL/S, but it is made of only the large, double-ring oligomers each with eight (or nine) subunits instead of seven as in the bacterial complex. Like Hsp70(DnaK), the archaeal chaperonin subunits are remarkable for their evolution, but for a different reason. Ubiquitous among archaea, the chaperonins show a pattern of recurrent gene duplication-hetero-oligomeric chaperonin complexes appear to have evolved several times independently. The stress response and stress tolerance in the archaea involve chaperones, chaperonins, other heat shock (stress) proteins including sHsp, thermoprotectants, the proteasome, as yet incompletely understood thermoresistant features of many molecules, and formation of multicellular structures. The latter structures include single- and mixed-species (bacterial-archaeal) types. Many questions remain unanswered, and the field offers extraordinary opportunities owing to the diversity, genetic makeup, and phylogenetic position of archaea and the variety of ecosystems they inhabit. Specific aspects that deserve investigation are elucidation of the mechanism of action of the chaperonin complex at different temperatures, identification of the partners and substitutes for the Hsp70 chaperone machine, analysis of protein folding and refolding in hyperthermophiles, and determination of the molecular mechanisms involved in stress gene regulation in archaeal species that thrive under widely different conditions (temperature, pH, osmolarity, and barometric pressure). These studies are now possible with uni- and multicellular archaeal models and are relevant to various areas of basic and applied research, including exploration and conquest of ecosystems inhospitable to humans and many mammals and plants.