Microbiome of Seven Full-Scale Anaerobic Digestion Plants in South Korea: Effect of Feedstock and Operational Parameters

Michal Sposob, Hee-Sung Moon, Dongjin Lee and Yeo-Myeong Yun
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Michal Sposob: Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Hee-Sung Moon: Waste-Energy Research Division, Environmental Resources Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon 22689, Korea
Dongjin Lee: Waste-Energy Research Division, Environmental Resources Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon 22689, Korea
Yeo-Myeong Yun: Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: In this study, the microbiomes linked with the operational parameters in seven mesophilic full-scale AD plants mainly treating food waste (four plants) and sewage sludge (three plants) were analyzed. The results obtained indicated lower diversity and evenness of the microbial population in sludge digestion (SD) plants compared to food digestion (FD) plants. Candidatus Accumulibacter dominated (up to 42.1%) in SD plants due to microbial immigration from fed secondary sludge (up to 89%). Its potential activity in SD plants was correlated to H 2 production, which was related to the dominance of hydrogenotrophic methanogens ( Methanococcus ). In FD plants, a balance between the hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic pathways was found, while Flavobacterium and Levilinea played an important role during acidogenesis. Levilinea also expressed sensitivity to ammonia in FD plants. The substantial differences in hydraulic retention time (HRT), organic loading rate (OLR), and total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) among the studied FD plants did not influence the archaeal methane production pathway. In addition, the bacterial genera responsible for acetate production through syntrophy and homoacetogenesis ( Smithella , Treponema ) were present in all the plants studied.

Keywords: Candidatus Accumulibacter; food waste; full-scale anaerobic digestion; Methanococcus; microbial immigration; sewage sludge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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