THE ROLE OF SULFATE REDUCTION IN METHANOGENIC DIGESTION OF MUNICIPAL SEWAGE SLUDGE

• Published in: Journal of general and applied microbiology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 195 - 207
• Main Authors: UEKI, KATSUJI, UEKI, ATSUKO, TAKAHASHI, KIYOSHI, IWATSU, MASAKAZU
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Applied Microbiology, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Research Foundation 1992; Microbiology Research Foundation
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Reduction; Hydrogen; Methanogenesis; Bacteria; Acetate; Inhibition; Sulfates; Sewage sludge; Anaerobic digestion
• ISSN: 0022-1260; 1349-8037
• DOI: 10.2323/jgam.38.195

Relationship between methanogenesis and sulfate reduction in anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge was investigated. The density of methanogenic bacteria in the sludge was estimated to be at the order of 104-106 cells/ml. The density of sulfate reducing bacteria was at the order of 105 colony forming units/ml, while the concentration of sulfate in the sludge was low (<0.2mM). Addition of sulfate to the sludge markedly enhanced sulfate reduction without significantly affecting methanogenesis. In the sludge supplemented with sulfate, both methanogenesis and sulfate reduction were significantly enhanced upon the addition of H2. In the presence of exogenous H2, inhibition of methanogenesis or that of sulfate reduction resulted in enhancement of sulfate reduction or that of methanogenesis, respectively. The addition of acetate markedly enhanced methanogenesis but did not affect sulfate reduction, and the addition of propionate markedly enhanced both methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. Degradation of propionate essentially depended on sulfate reduction, and acetate accumulated in response to the propionate degradation when methanogenesis was inhibited. In conclusion, in the sludge, acetate was used only in methanogenesis, and H2 was used in both methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. Sulfate reduction degraded propionate to acetate and enhanced electron flow to methanogenesis.