Biotic and abiotic roles of leachate recirculation in batch mode solid-state anaerobic digestion of cattle manure

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 200; pp. 388 - 395
• Main Authors: Degueurce, Axelle, Tomas, Nair, Le Roux, Sophie, Martinez, José, Peu, Pascal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2016; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anaerobiosis; Animals; Archaea; Biofuels; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Bioreactors; Buffers; Cattle; Environmental Sciences; Equipment Design; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Leach bed reactor; Leachate; Manure; Methane - chemistry; Methane production rate; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; Refuse Disposal - methods; RNA, Bacterial - analysis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; Single strand conformation polymorphism; Temperature; Manure; Leachate; Single strand conformation polymorphism; Leach bed reactor; Methane production rate; LEACHATES; SINGLE-STRAND CONFORMATION POLYMORPHISM; MANURE; METHANE; MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES; BOVINE; MANURES; BUFFERING CAPACITIES; ANAEROBIC DIGESTION; NONHUMAN; LEACHATE; LEACH BED REACTORS; LEACH BED REACTOR; LEACHATE RECIRCULATION; BOS; SOLID-STATE ANAEROBIC DIGESTIONS; MICROBIAL COMMUNITY; SINGLE STRAND CONFORMATION POLYMORPHISM; MICROORGANISMS; LEACHING; METHANE PRODUCTION RATE; ARTICLE; REACTOR; NUTRIENT CONTENT; PH; PRIORITY JOURNAL; METHANE PRODUCTION
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.10.060

[Display omitted] •Leachate for solid cattle manure anaerobic digestion in LBR has several functions.•Leachate initial pH, nutrient contents and buffering capacity impact methane yield.•Microbial exchange between leachate and manure is limited.•Original microorganisms of the manure are highly involved in methane production. Solid state anaerobic digestion, with leachate recirculation, is suitable for exploiting manure with a high solid content. The biotic and abiotic effects of the leachates were studied in lab-scale leach bed reactors (LBRs). LBRs were fed with cow manure and four leachates either biologically active or inert. The biotic impact of leachate was assessed by monitoring the microbial communities in the manure and in the leachates. LBRs with biologically active leachates, regardless to their origin, produced equivalent methane volumes (114.52±19.05 and 99.79±6.4NL/kgVS) while LBRs with inert leachates produced half less methane (60.22±5.71 and 58.87±13.2NL/kgVS) attesting to the biotic role of leachate. Moreover, its beneficial abiotic role is mainly due to its initial nutrient content, pH, and buffering capacity. The microbial community in the manure was strongly involved in methane production, and no transfer of microorganisms from the liquid phase was found (p<0.05).