Methanogenic activity optimization using the response surface methodology, during the anaerobic co-digestion of agriculture and industrial wastes. Microbial community diversity

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy Vol. 71; pp. 84 - 97
• Main Authors: JIMENEZ, J, GUARDIA-PUEBLA, Y, ROMERO-ROMERO, O, CISNEROS-ORTIZ, M. E, GUERRA, G, MORGAN-SAGASTUME, J. M, NOYOLA, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 01-12-2014
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Methanomicrobiales; Methanosaeta; Methanosarcina; Methanosarcinales; Oryza sativa; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Use of agricultural and forest wastes. Biomass use, bioconversion; Community structure; Clay; Genetic marker; Rice straw; Cereal by product; Biodiversity; Anaerobic digestion; Optimization; Specific activity; Pig manure; Specific methanogenic activity; Industrial waste; Restriction fragment length polymorphism; Experimental design; Methanogenesis; Response surface; Agricultural waste; Microorganism; Animal waste; Chemometrics; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.10.023

The anaerobic co-digestion of manure, agriculture and industrial wastes for methane production depends on the nutritional condition to develop the microbial community. The effect of each substrate concentrations, as well as their interactive effects on specific methanogenic activity and microbial community diversity were investigated in this work. A central composite design and the response surface methodology were applied for designing the anaerobic co-digestion batch test at 35 and 55 degree C. It was analyzed the anaerobic sludge by specific methanogenic activity (SMA) and using molecular techniques (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, TRFLP). The results showed a significant interaction among the substrates and an enhancement of the methane production and SMA response caused by the three components. Rice straw had lower influence on SMA than clay residues, due to the mineral content and the beneficial ammonia nitrogen adsorbent properties of the latter. The optimum condition for mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure, rice straw and clay mixture allowed SMA values of 1.31 and 1.38 gCH sub(4)-COD/gVSSd super(-1), respectively. The TRFLP analysis showed the effect of rice straw and clay addition on microbial community diversity at both temperatures. The acetotrophic methanogens belonging to the order Methanosarcinales (genera Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta) dominated in mesophilic condition, whereas at thermophilic conditions dominated Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteriales order. The optimization allowed identifying the substrate interaction effects in a concentration range with a reduced number of experiments. Besides, the model validation proved to be useful for defining optimal combination of wastes in anaerobic system.