Comparison of anaerobic digestion strategies of nitrogen-rich substrates: Performance of anaerobic reactors and microbial community diversity. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ziganshina, Elvira E.; Ibragimov, Emil M.; Vankov, Petr Y.; Miluykov, Vasili A.; Ziganshin, Ayrat M.
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 59(2017)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 171
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: Zeolites -- Biogas -- Chicken manure -- Illumina sequencing -- 454 pyrosequencing -- T-RFLP analysis; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.10.038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: Different strategies of anaerobic digestion of chicken manure were compared. Addition of zeolites positively affected the anaerobic digestion process. Stable process was achieved at free ammonia nitrogen level of 0.6–0.8 g L −1 . Clostridia, Bacilli and Actinobacteria were the abundant bacteria in all reactors. Methanosarcina and Methanoculleus were the main methanogenic archaea. Abstract: In the present study, the application of different operating strategies on performance of three continuous stirred tank reactors digesting chicken manure at mesophilic temperature and constant organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.5 gVS L −1 d −1 was investigated. Control reactor (RC) and reactor (RH) with the decreasing hydraulic retention time (HRT) had the comparable specific biogas production (SBP) with maximum values of 334–351 mL g −1 VS (added) during days 84–93, while the SBP from reactor with zeolites (RZ) was higher and achieved 426–432 mL g −1 VS (added) . Attachments of microorganisms to zeolite particles as the operational environment, exchanged cations released from zeolites as well as lower total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) levels observed in RZ (6.2–6.3 g L −1 ; days 71–93) compared to RC (6.6–6.9 g L −1 ; days 71–93) resulted in a more effective process in RZ. Moreover, microbial community structure and dynamics were comprehensively characterized using Illumina sequencing, pyrosequencing and T-RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Methanogenic archaeal activity was additionally assessed by the expressed mcrA genes encoding the alpha subunit of methyl-CoM reductase. Within the major class Clostridia, Caldicoprobacter, Alkaliphilus, Gallicola, Sporanaerobacter and Tepidimicrobium spp. were the notable bacteria developed during operation of all tested reactors. Archaeal communities were dominated by methanogens belonging to the genus Methanosarcina followed by the genus Methanoculleus during the experimental period. Results of this study indicate that attachment of microorganisms to the zeolite particles as the operational environment might have led to the higher microbial activity at high ammonia concentrations.