Comparative study of changes in reaction profile and microbial community structure in two anaerobic repeated-batch reactors started up with different seed sludges

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 129; pp. 495 - 505
• Main Authors: Kim, Jaai, Lee, Seungyong, Lee, Changsoo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alterations; Anaerobic digestion; Applied sciences; Bacteria; Bacteria, Anaerobic - isolation & purification; Bacteria, Anaerobic - metabolism; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - instrumentation; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Communities; Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); Environment and pollution; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Evolution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Microbial community structure; Microbial Consortia - physiology; Microorganisms; Nucleation; Pollution; Reactors; Real-time PCR; Repeated-batch reactor; Sewage - microbiology; Wastes; Whey; Repeated-batch reactor; Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); Real-time PCR; Anaerobic digestion; Microbial community structure; Community structure; Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; Real time; Polymerase chain reaction; Anaerobe; Batch process; Wastes; Reactor; Microbial community; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.11.119

► Two anaerobic repeated-batch reactors differing in seed source performed similarly. ► H2-Utilizing pathway was likely the main route for methanogenesis in both reactors. ► The reactor methanogen communities were likely dominated by Methanospirillum hungatei strains. ► Bacterial community structure changed dynamically over cycles in both reactors. ► Bacterial community shifts caused little change in methanogen community structure. Microbial community structure and dynamics were examined in two anaerobic reactors run in repeated-batch mode to treat whey permeate. Despite being started up using different seeding sources, the reactors showed generally similar reaction patterns and performances. During the repeated-batch operation for three cycles, the overall reaction rate increased with the increase in the initial population size of both bacteria and methanogens over cycles. Clostridium- and Methanospirillum-related microorganisms were likely the main acidogenic and methanogenic populations, respectively, in both reactors. Bacterial community structure shifted dynamically over cycles, while little change was observed in methanogen community structure throughout the operation. This means that the changes in bacterial community structure changes had little influence on the formation and evolution of methanogen community structure in the reactors. The increased methanogenesis rate with cycles seemed therefore more likely due to the effect of the increase in methanogen abundance rather than the alteration of community structure.