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Stability of the Anaerobic Digestion Process during Switch from Parallel to Serial Operation—A Microbiome Study

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  • Andreas Walter

    (Department of Biotechnology & Food Engineering, MCI—The Entrepreneurial School, Maximilianstraße 2, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Maria Hanser

    (Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Christian Ebner

    (Department of Waste Treatment and Resource Management, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 13a, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Heribert Insam

    (Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Rudolf Markt

    (Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Sebastian Hupfauf

    (Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

  • Maraike Probst

    (Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is a common procedure of treating sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants. However, plants differ in terms of the number of reactors and, in case of several reactors, their operation mode. To confirm the flexibility of well adapted, full-scale anaerobic digestion plants, we monitored the physicochemical process conditions of two continuously stirred tank reactors over one hydraulic retention time before and after the operation mode was switched from parallel to serial operation. To investigate changes in the involved microbiota, we applied Illumina amplicon sequencing. The rapid change between operation modes did not affect the process performance. In both parallel and serial operation mode, we detected a highly diverse microbial community, in which Bacteroidetes , Firmicutes , Proteobacteria and Claocimonetes were high in relative abundance. While a prominent core microbiome was maintained in both configurations, changes in the involved microbiota were evident at a lower taxonomical level comparing both reactors and operation modes. The most prominent methanogenic Euryarchaeota detected were Methanosaeta and cand. Methanofastidiosum . Volatile fatty acids were degraded immediately in both reactors, suggesting that the second reactor could be used to produce methane on demand, by inserting easily degradable substrates.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Walter & Maria Hanser & Christian Ebner & Heribert Insam & Rudolf Markt & Sebastian Hupfauf & Maraike Probst, 2022. "Stability of the Anaerobic Digestion Process during Switch from Parallel to Serial Operation—A Microbiome Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:12:p:7161-:d:836254
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Athanasoulia, E. & Melidis, P. & Aivasidis, A., 2012. "Optimization of biogas production from waste activated sludge through serial digestion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 147-151.
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