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Contents
1. Principles of anaerobic digestion ................................................................................... 1
1.1 Overview of Anaerobic Degradation Process .............................................................. 1
2. Microbiology of anaerobic digestion .............................................................................. 2
a. Hydrolysis and acidogenesis ........................................................................................... 5
(b)Acetogenesis ................................................................................................................. 6
(c)Methanogens ................................................................................................................. 7
(d) Sulfate reduction ......................................................................................................... 8
3. Factors Affecting Anaerobic Digestion .......................................................................... 9
Temperature .................................................................................................................... 10
4.Merits of Anaerobic Decomposition Process ................................................................... 11
4. Anaerobic sludge digesters ........................................................................................... 13
References .......................................................................................................................... 16
In the second stage, the organic acids and hydrogen are converted into methane and carbon
dioxide. This conversion is performed by a special group of microorganisms, named methanogens,
which are strictly anaerobic prokaryotes.
The methanogenic archaea depend on the substrate provided by the acid-forming microorganisms,
consisting, therefore, in a syntrophic interaction.
The methanogens carry out two primordial functions in the anaerobic ecosystems: they produce
an insoluble gas (methane) which enables the removal of organic carbon from the environment,
and they also keep the H2 partial pressure low enough to allow conditions in the medium for
fermenting and acid-producing bacteria to produce more oxidized soluble products, such as acetic
acid. Once the methanogens occupy the terminal position in the anaerobic environment during
organic compound degradation, their inherent low growth rates usually represent a limiting factor
in the digestion process as a whole.
A. Hydrolysis
B. Fermentation
C. Acetogenesis
D. Methanogenesis
size of particles
pH of the medium
concentration of NH4 + −N
Acidogenesis is carried out by a large and diverse group of fermentative bacteria. Usual species
belong to the clostridia group, which comprises anaerobic species that form spores, able to survive
in very adverse environments, and the family Bacteroidaceaea, organisms commonly found in
digestive tracts, participating in the degradation of sugars and amino acids.
(b)Acetogenesis
In the second stage, acetogenic bacteria, also known as acid formers, convert the products of the
first phase to simple organic acids, carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
The principal acids produced are acetic acid (CH3COOH), propionic acid (CH3CH2COOH),
butyric acid (CH3CH2CH2COOH), and ethanol (C2H5OH). The products formed during
acetogenesis are due to a number of different microbes, e.g., syntrophobacter wolinii, a propionate
decomposer and sytrophomonos wolfei, a butyrate decomposer. Other acid formers are clostridium
spp., peptococcus anerobus, lactobacillus, and actinomyces (www.biogasworks.com- Microbes in
AD).
Acetogenic bacteria are responsible for the oxidation of the products generated in the acidogenic
phase into a substrate appropriate for the methanogenic microorganisms. In this way, acetogenic
bacteria are part of an intermediate metabolic group that produces substrate for methanogenic
microorganisms. The products generated by acetogenic bacteria are acetic acid, hydrogen and
carbon dioxide.
During the formation of acetic and propionic acids, a large amount of hydrogen is formed,
causing the pH in the aqueous medium to decrease. However, there are two ways by which
hydrogen is consumed in the medium: (i) through the methanogenic microorganisms, that use
hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce methane; and (ii) through the formation of organic acids,
such as propionic and butyric acids, which are formed through the reaction among hydrogen,
carbon dioxide and acetic acid.
AAIT, WASTEWATER TREATMENT ASSIGNMENT Page 6
Principles of anaerobic digestion 2017
Among all the products metabolized by the acidogenic bacteria, only hydrogen and acetate can
be directly used by the methanogenic microorganisms. However, at least 50% of the biodegradable
COD are converted into propionic and butyric acids, which are later decomposed into acetic acid
and hydrogen by the action of the acetogenic bacteria.
(c)Methanogens
Finally, in the third stage methane is produced by bacteria called methane formers (also known as
methanogens) in two ways: either by means of cleavage of acetic acid molecules to generate carbon
dioxide and methane, or by reduction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen. Methane production is
higher from reduction of carbon dioxide but limited hydrogen concentration in digesters results in
that the acetate reaction is the primary producer of methane (Omstead et al, 1980).
The final phase in the overall anaerobic degradation process of organic compounds into methane
and carbon dioxide is performed by the methanogenic archaea. They use only a limited number of
substrates, comprising acetic acid, hydrogen/carbon dioxide, formic acid, methanol, methylamines
and carbon monoxide. In view of their affinity for substrate and extent of methane production,
methanogenic microorganisms are divided into two main groups, one that forms methane from
acetic acid or methanol, and the other that produces methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide,
as follows:
Two genera utilize acetate to produce methane: Methanosarcina prevails above 10−3 M acetate,
while Methanosaeta prevails below this acetate level (Zinder, 1993). Methanosaeta may have
lower yields and be more pH-sensitive, as compared to Methanosarcina (Schimidt and Ahring,
1996). Methanosarcina has a greater growth rate, while Methanosaeta needs a longer solids
retention time, but can operate at lower acetate concentrations. The Methanosaeta genus is
characterized by exclusive use of acetate, and having a higher affinity with it than the
methanosarcinas. They are developed in the form of filaments, being largely important in the
Hydrogen trophic methanogens. Unlike the aceticlastic organisms, practically all the well-known
methanogenic species are capable of producing methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The
genera more frequently isolated in anaerobic reactors are Methanobacterium, Methanospirillum
and Methanobrevibacter. Both the aceticlastic and the hydrogen trophic methanogenic
microorganisms are very important in the maintenance of the course of anaerobic digestion, since
They are responsible for the essential function of consuming the hydrogen produced in the
previous phases. Consequently, the partial pressure of hydrogen in the medium is lowered, thus
enabling the production reactions of the acidogenic and acetogenic bacteria.
The metabolism of SRB is important in the anaerobic process, mostly because of their end
product, hydrogen sulfide. SRB group species have in common the dissimilatory sulfate
metabolism under strict an aerobiosis, and are considered a very versatile group of microorganisms,
capable of using a wide range of substrate, including the whole chain of volatile fatty acids, several
aromatic acids, hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, glycerol, sugars, amino acids and several phenol
compounds. Two major metabolic groups of SRB can be distinguished: (i) a group of species that
is able to oxidize incompletely its substrates to acetate, like the genera Desulfobulbus sp. and
Desulfomonas sp., and most of the species of the genera Desulfotomaculum and Desulfovibrio
belong to this group; and (ii) a group which is able to oxidize its organic substrates, including
acetate, to carbon dioxide.
References
Gavala, H.N., Yenal, U., Skiadas, I.V., Westermann, P. and Ahring, B.K. (2003) Mesophilic and
Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary and Secondary Sludge, Effect of Pretreatment at
Elevated Temperatures. Water Research, 37, 4561-4572.
Rozzi, A. and Remigi, E. (2004) Methods of Assessing Microbial Activity and Inhibition under
Anaerobic Conditions: A Literature Review. Re/Views in Environmental Science &
Bio/Technology, 3, 93-115.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11157-004-5762-z
Problems-related operations-based education (probe), water Environment federation, alexandria,
va Toni glymph, author. American water works association, denver, co.
Wpcf manual of practice fd-13/asce manuals and reports on engineering practice no. 63.
Author bill marten, triad engineering inc. Series of six articles in wisconsin wastewater
Operator association's the clarifier, volumes 159-164.
Www.wef.org
Http://www.owp.csus.edu/ or available through inter-library loan at
Http://aqua.wisc.edu/waterlibrary
Www.awwa.org
Enve 302 environmental engineering unit processes by assist. Prof. Bilge alpaslan kocamemi
Marmara university department of environmental engineering istanbul, turkey
Rick snyder, governor dan wyant, director www.michigan.gov/deq 800-662-9278 environmental
assistance center