餐厨垃圾厌氧消化处理主要过程的微生物群落结构分析

【背景】厌氧消化是我国餐厨垃圾处理的主要方法,微生物在其处理过程中起到关键作用,但是目前对其不同工艺单元微生物群落结构的研究较少。【目的】通过分析各工艺单元的微生物多样性与群落结构,为改进餐厨垃圾资源化处理技术、提高资源利用效率提供科学依据。【方法】采集某餐厨垃圾处理厂油水分离、厌氧发酵、沼渣脱水等3个工艺单元产生的废液样品,采用16S rRNA基因高通量测序技术,研究其菌群组成、丰度、优势菌群及其与环境因子的相关性。【结果】初始油水分离样品中的微生物群落种类相对较少,而经厌氧发酵和沼渣脱水处理后样品中的微生物群落种类较丰富。在门水平上,厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)在各单元样品中所占平均比例最高,为81.1%,其次为拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi),分别占15.81%和4.59%;在属水平上,相对丰度较高的菌属为乳酸菌属(Lactobacillus)、互营单胞菌属(Syntrophomonas)等。餐厨垃圾处理过程中的部分菌属可能具有资源-环境双重属性,例如在沼渣脱水单元相对丰度高达32.67%的假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas),该菌属中既存在少部分致病菌或条件致病菌,也具有生产聚羟基脂肪酸酯的功能菌。影响各组样品微生物群落组成结构最显著的因子是p H值,其次是总糖的含量。【结论】研究明确了典型餐厨垃圾厌氧消化处理工艺单元的微生物群落结构和多样性,并提出了优化处理工艺、强化资源利用效率的建议。     

大叶藻(Zostera marina)海草床沉积物细菌和古菌丰度及组成的垂直剖面特征

【背景】海草床是重要的"蓝碳"生态系统,对全球碳汇有重要贡献。海草床沉积物剖面的垂直梯度特征显著,表层呈现氧化态,富含活性有机质,而深层呈还原态,以惰性有机质为主。【目的】探究这种垂直特征如何影响微生物的丰度和群落分布。【方法】利用荧光定量PCR和16SrRNA基因高通量测序等手段,测定了山东荣成天鹅湖大叶藻海草床不同深度(5、10、15、20、25和30 cm)沉积物中细菌和古菌丰度、多样性和群落结构的变化。【结果】细菌和古菌16S rRNA基因拷贝数随深度的增加而降低,在沉积物5cm深处,细菌的16SrRNA基因拷贝数显著高于20cm和30cm层(ANOVA,P0.05)。深度对细菌和古菌α多样性指数没有显著影响(P0.05)。细菌中相对丰度最高的是变形菌门,其次是绿弯菌门,拟杆菌门,浮霉菌门等,其中δ-变形菌和浮霉菌的相对丰度随深度显著增加(P0.05)。古菌群落中深古菌门比例最高,在25cm深处达到70%以上;其次是乌斯菌门、洛基古菌门、广古菌门和奇古菌门等。奇古菌门比例随深度增加而显著降低(P0.05),其他古菌类群在不同深度间差异不显著(P0.05)。【结论】海草床沉积物细菌和古菌的丰度、多样性和群落分布具有明显的垂直特征,这种特征可能受沉积物有机质组成和氧化还原状况影响。     

驯化对生物阴极微生物燃料电池中阴极微生物群落多样性的影响

【背景】生物阴极微生物燃料电池因其构造成本低和阴极可持续性发展的优点而成为一种很有前途的废水处理系统,但阴极微生物的氧化还原性能限制了其在实际应用中的推广。【目的】为了提高生物阴极的性能,需要深入了解影响阴极氧化还原性能的微生物群落。【方法】利用16S rRNA基因高通量测序技术分析对比原始接种污泥样品和驯化后阴极电极上生物膜样品多样性及结构变化。【结果】测序结果表明,原始接种污泥样品与驯化后阴极电极生物膜样品中微生物群落种类和结构存在显著差异,驯化后阴极电极生物膜样品中变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、γ-变形菌纲(Gammaproteobacteria)和特吕珀菌属(Trueperaceae)相对丰度比例高于原始污泥样品,成为优势菌群。【结论】驯化对系统阴极电极生物膜群落影响显著,随着产电量的输出,优势菌群不断富集,最终形成一个适应该实验环境下的新的微生物群落。对优势菌群结构和变化进行探讨,为生物阴极的研究补充更多生物学方面的理论基础。     

紫金山铜矿酸性矿山废水微生物群落多样性

【背景】为避免环境污染,酸性矿山废水需经处理后才能排放,处理后的废水理化性质会发生显著变化,将影响整个微生物群落的结构。【目的】分析处理前后的细菌和真菌群落变化及其与理化参数的关系,为矿山废水的处理提供参考指标,并为矿山污染场地的修复提供理论基础。【方法】采集福建紫金山铜矿的酸性矿山废水并测定其理化性质。采用基于原核微生物16S rRNA基因V4区和真菌18S rRNA基因ITS的高通量测序技术分析水样的微生物群落结构。【结果】经中和处理后的回水与矿坑水和生物浸出液相比,pH升高,重金属离子含量显著降低。原核微生物的多样性高于真菌,回水的物种多样性高于矿坑水和浸出液。回水中变形菌门的丰度最高,矿坑水和浸出液中分别以广古菌门和硝化螺菌门的丰度最高。回水中噬氢菌属为优势类群,矿坑水和浸出液中的优势菌是钩端螺旋菌属,铁质菌属等古菌也有一定的比例。pH、Al、Mn、Zn与回水中相对丰度较高的菌属显著相关,而矿坑水和浸出液中的高丰度类群与环境因子没有显著的相关性。【结论】研究表明酸性废水的中和沉淀处理对微生物群落产生了较大的影响,微生物群落变化可以作为矿山酸性废水污染处理效果的一个参考指标。     

异育银鲫养殖环境典型病原微生物检测和细菌群落解析

【背景】水产养殖病害是限制淡水渔业发展的一个重要因素,养殖环境的微生物状况与鱼类健康紧密相关,已引起人们广泛关注。【目的】阐明养殖水体和沉积物中病原微生物丰度和细菌群落多样性变化特征。【方法】利用荧光定量PCR方法和末端限制性片段长度多态性(Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism,T-RFLP)技术,对异育银鲫养殖环境水体和沉积物中的典型病原微生物进行定量检测,以及细菌群落多样性分析。【结果】养殖过程中病原菌丰度呈现不同的变化趋势,嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)、温和气单胞菌(A. sobria)和维氏气单胞菌(A. veronii)与鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型丰度变化呈显著正相关。水体中病原菌丰度受pH、温度和溶解氧等环境因子的影响显著。T-RFLP分析表明沉积物样品较水体样品细菌群落组成复杂,并且沉积物细菌群落动态变化幅度高于水体。水体和沉积物中细菌T-RFs数量范围分别在11-29和20-32之间,Shannon-wiener指数在1.44-2.87和2.44-3.25之间。【结论】养殖水体中的病原菌丰度高于沉积物,而沉积物细菌群落丰富度和多样性高于水体。病原菌丰度和细菌群落结构变化与环境因子密切相关,明确养殖池塘环境中病原微生物的生态分布和丰度变化,将为指导养殖过程中病原性疾病发生早期预警提供理论依据。     

植被退化对滇西北高寒草地土壤微生物群落的影响

【目的】在同尺度下比较我国滇西北高寒草地土壤(GS)及其退化土壤(DGS)中细菌和真菌群落,研究植被退化对高寒草地土壤微生物群落的影响,并探索其环境驱动因子。【方法】分别以16SrRNA基因和ITS基因作为细菌和真菌分子生态学分析的靶标基因,采用定量PCR法测定基因数量来表征微生物群落丰度,采用Illumina Hiseq测序及生物信息学分析研究土壤微生物群落组成和群落结构。【结果】草地退化后,土壤pH值显著上升0.65个单位,土壤水分、总有机碳、可溶性氮含量和C/N比分别显著下降了18.4%、67.5%、47.2%和71.2%;草地退化显著降低了土壤细菌和真菌群落丰度,降低幅度分别为92.4%和94.9%;草地退化没有影响土壤细菌和真菌群落α-多样性,但显著改变了细菌和真菌群落β-多样性(群落结构);草地退化改变了土壤细菌和真菌在OTU水平上的物种组成,土壤真菌OTU种类变化更为显著;草地退化没有影响土壤细菌在门水平上的群落组成,但改变了细菌在纲水平上的群落组成(如Acidimicrobiia、Betaproteobacteria、Chloroplast等);草地退化没有影响土壤真菌在门水平和纲水平上的群落组成。【结论】本研究发现植被退化后滇西北高寒草地土壤质量显著降低,寄居在土壤中的微生物群落丰度也显著降低、微生物群落结构明显改变。     

好氧-厌氧混合污泥启动微生物燃料电池产电性能及微生物群落动态特征

【目的】为探讨好氧-厌氧混合污泥启动微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cell,MFC)产电性能以及MFC对微生物群落的选择作用,【方法】以乳酸为底物,应用不依赖于培养的微生物分子生物学技术解析单室MFC启动过程中微生物群落的组成和结构动态学特征。【结果】结果表明,MFC经过3个周期启动成功,最高输出电压230 m V。当MFC外电阻为1656Ω时,最大功率密度11.15 W/m3,电池运行稳定。混合污泥启动MFC以后,阳极生物膜微生物群落结构同种泥差异较大,且多样性降低。生物膜中微生物类群按丰度依次为β-变形菌纲(Betaproteobacteria)24.90%、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)21.30%、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)9.70%、γ-变形菌纲(Gammaproteobacteria)8.50%、δ-变形菌纲(Deltaproteobacteria)7.90%、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)4.20%以及α-变形菌纲(Alphaproteobacteria)3.60%。有利于生物膜形成与稳定的动胶菌属(Zoogloea)和不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter)序列丰度分别占生物膜群落的5.00%和3.90%,与MFC产电能力直接相关的地杆菌属(Geobacter)序列由混合污泥中的0.60%上升至阳极生物膜中的2.60%。【结论】本研究表明,MFC阳极生物膜在驯化过程中对污泥中的微生物进行淘汰和选择,最终驯化形成了有利于生物膜形成与稳定、有机物厌氧发酵与产电的微生物菌群。     

降解水稻秸秆的复合菌系及其微生物群落结构演替北大核心CSCD

【目的】比较和分析从堆肥中富集的水稻秸秆降解菌系F1和F2的纤维素分解能力、微生物群落结构及其在秸秆降解过程中的演替,从而探究微生物群落结构与秸秆降解效率的相关性。【方法】采用DNS(3,5-二硝基水杨酸,3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid)定糖法测定发酵液中的外切纤维素酶活;采用范氏(Van Soest)洗涤纤维分析法测定发酵前与发酵后的秸秆纤维素、半纤维素、木质素的含量,并计算降解率;采用16S r RNA基因序列分析和实时荧光定量PCR(Quantitative real-time PCR,Q-PCR)对秸秆降解过程中的微生物物种组成及特定的功能微生物进行定性和定量分析。【结果】复合菌系F1的水稻秸秆总降解率、纤维素降解率、半纤维素降解率显著高于复合菌系F2;2种复合菌系的外切纤维素酶活性与cel48基因的拷贝数变化趋势一致;复合菌系F1的物种较丰富,优势物种是好氧细菌,复合菌系F2的物种组成较单一,培养后期具有较高比例的厌氧纤维素分解菌;培养前4天,复合菌系F1和F2的优势物种均为Unclassified Bacillales和Bacillus;第4天之后,不同复合菌系的优势物种及丰度出现差异,F1的优势物种主要属于Bacteroidetes,F2的优势物种主要属于Firmicutes;虽然Petrimonas和Pusillimonas是培养后期的共有优势物种,但是Petrimonas在复合菌系F2中的相对丰度(38.30%)显著高于F1(9.47%),且培养第8天的F2中的Clostridiales OPB54增加至14.85%。【结论】cel48基因拷贝数变化与秸秆纤维素的降解效率、外切纤维素酶活性变化具有一定的相关性,cel48基因可作为潜在的生物分子标记监测秸秆纤维素的降解过程;微生物群落结构对秸秆纤维素的降解效率具有显著影响,Unclassified Bacillales,Bacillus,Petrimonas,Pusillimonas是复合菌系F1和F2降解秸秆纤维素过程中的重要物种。     

基于宏基因组技术分析全球不同温度带土壤微生物多样性

【背景】温度在塑造大尺度的土壤微生物群落方面发挥了重要作用,但目前针对全球不同温度带大尺度土壤微生物多样性方面的研究十分缺乏。【目的】明确不同温度带大尺度土壤微生物组成和功能的差异变化。【方法】从宏观的角度运用宏基因组技术对不同温度带土壤微生物群落的组成和功能进行分析。【结果】细菌的物种多样性随着温度带纬度的升高而增多,真菌的物种多样性在温带最多,在寒带最小且假丝酵母属(Candida)占绝对优势。3个温度带间除物种多样性存在差异外,微生物群落中物种丰度差异也较大,优势属和特殊属各有不同。其中值得注意的是,假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)的丰度在不同温度带间存在显著差异,且随着温度带纬度的升高而增多,而链霉菌属(Streptomyces)、地嗜皮菌属(Geodermatophilus)、红色杆菌属(Rubrobacter)和小单孢菌属(Micromonospora)的丰度随温度带纬度的升高而降低。在功能方面,发现与翻译后修饰、蛋白质周转、伴侣(posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chap...     

广东省本地油茶和引种油茶根际土壤微生物群落特征

【背景】近年来,油茶低效林面积较大,根际土壤微生物影响林木抗性和生长,对林业可持续发展具有重要意义。【目的】了解广东省本地油茶和引种油茶根际土壤微生物群落特征。【方法】利用高通量测序分析油茶根际土壤微生物群落组成。【结果】油茶根际土壤细菌有26门77纲201目377科593属676种,真菌有14门50纲121目266科502属631种。油茶根际土壤中的优势细菌为酸杆菌门和变形菌门,优势真菌为子囊菌门和担子菌门。两种油茶根际土壤微生物组成差异显著,本地油茶根际土壤的细菌多样性显著高于引种油茶。在门水平上,脱硫杆菌门细菌和罗兹菌门、被孢霉门真菌的相对丰度在两种油茶间差异显著,Amorphotheca在本地油茶根际土壤中特异性富集。两种油茶根际土壤细菌碳代谢相对丰度差异显著,真菌以腐生营养型为主,其次为病理营养型和共生营养型。本地油茶根际土壤中显著富集土壤腐生菌,而共生营养型真菌(尤其是丛枝菌根真菌)相对丰度(6.43%)显著低于引种油茶中(21.83%)。此外,有机质和养分含量是影响油茶根际土壤微生物群落的关键因子。【结论】本地油茶和引种油茶根际土壤微生物群落组成和结构差异显著,Amorp...     

Long-Term Enrichment on Cellulose or Xylan Causes Functional and Taxonomic Convergence of Microbial Communities from Anaerobic Digesters

Cellulose and xylan are two major components of lignocellulosic biomass, which represents a potentially important energy source, as it is abundant and can be converted to methane by microbial action. However, it is recalcitrant to hydrolysis, and the establishment of a complete anaerobic digestion system requires a specific repertoire of microbial functions. In this study, we maintained 2-year enrichment cultures of anaerobic digestion sludge amended with cellulose or xylan to investigate whether a cellulose- or xylan-digesting microbial system could be assembled from sludge previously used to treat neither of them. While efficient methane-producing communities developed under mesophilic (35°C) incubation, they did not under thermophilic (55°C) conditions. Illumina amplicon sequencing results of the archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes revealed that the mature cultures were much lower in richness than the inocula and were dominated by single archaeal (genus Methanobacterium) and bacterial (order Clostridiales) groups, although at finer taxonomic levels the bacteria were differentiated by substrates. Methanogenesis was primarily via the hydrogenotrophic pathway under all conditions, although the identity and growth requirements of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria were unclear. Incubation conditions (substrate and temperature) had a much greater effect than inoculum source in shaping the mature microbial community, although analysis based on unweighted UniFrac distance found that the inoculum still determined the pool from which microbes could be enriched. Overall, this study confirmed that anaerobic digestion sludge treating nonlignocellulosic material is a potential source of microbial cellulose- and xylan-digesting functions given appropriate enrichment conditions.     

木质纤维素燃料乙醇蒸馏废水的高温厌氧处理及菌群结构分析

【目的】为开发高效的高浓度木质纤维素燃料乙醇蒸馏废水厌氧处理及资源化利用工艺,以活性炭为载体,在实验室规模上对高温厌氧流化床反应器处理木质纤维素燃料乙醇蒸馏废水进行研究。【方法】反应器经65 d梯度驯化后启动,对工艺参数进行一系列优化,并通过基于16S rRNA基因的分子生态学技术分析厌氧污泥中的优势菌群。【结果】实验获得了最优的反应条件和处理效果:厌氧流化床反应器(Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor,AFBR)在温度55±1°C、有机负荷率(OLR)13.8 g COD/(L·d)及水力停留时间(HRT)48 h操作时,COD去除率达到90%以上,同时甲烷产率达到290 mL/g COD;菌群鉴定分析结果显示高温厌氧活性污泥中Clostridia所占比例最大,产甲烷菌属以Methanoculleus和Methanosarcina为主,其它功能菌群主要为Alphaproteobacteria等。【结论】AFBR反应器可高效降解木质纤维素燃料乙醇蒸馏废水并产生生物能源甲烷,其反应体系内微生物种类丰富。     

Microbial community changes in methanogenic granules during the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is one of the most applied technologies for various high-strength wastewater treatments. The present study analysed the microbial community changes in UASB granules during the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions. Dynamicity of microbial community in granules was analysed using high-throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons, and the results showed that the temperature strictly determines the diversity of the microbial consortium. It was demonstrated that most of the microbes which were present in the initial mesophilic community were not found in the granules after the transition to thermophilic conditions. More specifically, only members from family Anaerolinaceae managed to tolerate the temperature change and contributed in maintaining the physical integrity of granular structure. On the contrary, new hydrolytic and fermentative bacteria were quickly replacing the old members in the community. A direct result from this abrupt change in the microbial diversity was the accumulation of volatile fatty acids and the concomitant pH drop in the reactor inhibiting the overall anaerobic digestion process. Nevertheless, by maintaining deliberately the pH levels at values higher than 6.5, a methanogen belonging to Methanoculleus genus emerged in the community enhancing the methane production.

     

Diversity and variability of methanogens during the shift from mesophilic to thermohilic conditions while biogas production

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most popular path of organic waste disposal. It is often used in wastewater treatment plants for excessive sludge removal. Methanogenic fermentation had usually been performed under mesophilic conditions, but in the past few years the thermophilic processes have become more popular due to economics and sludge sanitation. Methanogens, the group of microorganisms responsible for methane production, are thought to be sensitive to temperature change and it has already been proven that the communities performing methanogenesis under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions differ. But in most cases the research performed on methanogen diversity and changeability was undertaken in two separate anaerobic chambers for meso- and thermophilic conditions. It is also known that there is a group of microorganisms performing AD which are insensitive to temperature. Also the linkage between digester performance and its microbial content and community changeability is still not fully understood. That is why in this experiment we analyzed the bacterial community performing methanogenesis in a pilot scale anaerobic chamber during the shift from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions to point at the group of temperature tolerant microorganisms and their performance. The research was performed with PCR–DGGE (polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). It occurred that the community biodiversity decreased together with a temperature increase. The changes were coherent for both the total bacteria community and methanogens. These bacterial shifts were also convergent with biogas production—it decreased in the beginning of the thermophilic phase with the bacterial biodiversity decrease and increased when the community seemed to be restored. DGGE results suggest that among a wide variety of microorganisms involved in AD there is a GC-rich group relatively insensitive towards temperature change, able to adapt quickly to shifts in temperature and perform AD effectively. The studies of this microbial group could be a step forward in developing more efficient anaerobic digestion technology.     

基于高通量测序研究青藏高原茶卡盐湖微生物多样性

【目的】茶卡盐湖(Chaka Salt Lake,CSL)是青藏高原有名的天然结晶盐湖,具有独特的石盐盐湖矿床,盛产青盐。盐湖卤水环境中存在丰富的嗜盐菌资源和潜在的新种,细菌和古菌的群落结构特征和物种多样性尚不明确。【方法】采用Illumina高通量测序平台对茶卡盐湖水样和底泥混合物中的细菌和古菌群落进行16S r RNA基因(V3-V5区)高通量测序,检测4个样本的群落结构差异和微生物多样性。【结果】获得细菌和古菌总有效序列分别为117 192和110 571条。结果分析表明细菌和古菌的物种注释(Operational taxonomic unit,OTU)数目分别为421和317,获得分类地位明确的细菌种类为14门28纲170属,古菌为5门4纲34属。细菌的优势类群是厚壁菌门(Firmicutes),所占比例为68.37%,其次为变形菌门Proteobacteria(20.49%);优势种属依次为芽孢杆菌属Bacillus(41.94%)、海洋芽孢杆菌属Oceanobacillus(8.03%)、假单胞菌属Pseudomonas(7.67%)、盐厌氧菌属Halanaerobium(7.42%)和乳球菌属Lactococcus(7.38%);古菌的优势类群以广古菌门(Euryarchaeota)盐杆菌纲(Halobacteria)为主,优势菌是Halonotius(17.21%)和盐红菌属Halorubrum(16.23%)。【结论】揭示了茶卡盐湖中细菌和古菌的群落结构及物种多样性,为嗜盐菌的开发及后续微生物资源的挖掘提供了理论依据。     

Microbial community dynamics in anaerobic bioreactors and algal tanks treating piggery wastewater

Integrated biosystem is becoming a major aspect of wastewater management practice. Microbial communities in piggery wastewater sampled from anaerobic (thermophilic and mesophilic) and aerobic digesters (algal tanks) during waste remediation were analyzed by culture-independent techniques based on polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The use of Muyzer's 314F-GC, 518R bacterial primers, and archaeal A934F, 1309R primers followed by partial 16s rDNA sequence analysis of the main bands from DGGE revealed the presence of unknown and as yet uncultured microorganisms but also showed functional and ecologically significant denitrifying, acetogenic bacteria along with autotrophic, hydrogenotrophic, and acetoclastic methanogen archaea. Thermophilic digesters were dominated by γ-Proteobacteria, Methanothermobacter sp., while mesophilic digesters showed dominance by Firmicutes, uncultured bacteria, Methanosarcina, and Methanoculleus genera. Under aerobic conditions within algal tanks, pH rose from 7.17 to 9.32, with a significant decrease in total ammonia nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand, and soluble phosphorus levels. PCR-DGGE proved a useful tool for investigating the dynamics of microbial community in the bio-processing of piggery wastewater. Knowledge of the microbial communities involved in digestion of piggery wastewater will allow optimization of integrated biosystem by removing the main pollutants like inorganic ammonium-nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens from intensive farming system.     

Culture dependent and independent analyses of 16S rRNA and ATP citrate lyase genes: a comparison of microbial communities from different black smoker chimneys on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The bacterial and archaeal communities of three deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR; Rainbow, Logatchev and Broken Spur) were investigated using an integrated culture-dependent and independent approach. Comparative molecular phylogenetic analyses, using the 16S rRNA gene and the deduced amino acid sequences of the alpha and beta subunits of the ATP citrate lyase encoding genes were carried out on natural microbial communities, on an enrichment culture obtained from the Broken Spur chimney, and on novel chemolithoautotrophic bacteria and reference strains originally isolated from several different deep-sea vents. Our data showed that the three MAR hydrothermal vent chimneys investigated in this study host very different microbial assemblages. The microbial community of the Rainbow chimney was dominated by thermophilic, autotrophic, hydrogen-oxidizing, sulfur- and nitrate-reducing Epsilonproteobacteria related to the genus Caminibacter. The detection of sequences related to sulfur-reducing bacteria and archaea (Archaeoglobus) indicated that thermophilic sulfate reduction might also be occurring at this site. The Logatchev bacterial community included several sequences related to mesophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, while the archaeal component of this chimney was dominated by sequences related to the ANME-2 lineage, suggesting that anaerobic oxidation of methane may be occurring at this site. Comparative analyses of the ATP citrate lyase encoding genes from natural microbial communities suggested that Epsilonproteobacteria were the dominant primary producers using the reverse TCA cycle (rTCA) at Rainbow, while Aquificales of the genera Desulfurobacterium and Persephonella were prevalent in the Broken Spur chimney.     

Improvement of sludge digestate biodegradability by thermophilic bioaugmentation

The sludge digestate stabilized by mesophilic anaerobic digestion was further degraded through thermophilic anaerobic digestion using 0–10 % (v/v) of thermophilic, proteolytic Coprothermobacter proteolyticus, and/or methanogenic granular sludge. The results demonstrated that the temperature shift to thermophilic condition promoted abiotic solubilization of proteins and reactivated the fermentative bacteria and methanogens indigenous in the sludge digestate, resulting in a final methane yield of 6.25 mmol-CH₄/g-volatile suspended solid (VSS) digestate. The addition of C. proteolyticus accelerated the hydrolysis and fermentation of proteins and polysaccharides in the digestate during the early stage of thermophilic anaerobic digestion and stimulated methane production by syntrophic cooperation with methanogenic granular sludge. In the treatment with granular sludge and inoculated with 10 % (v/v) of C. proteolyticus, a final methane yield of 7 mmol-CH₄/g-VSS digestate was obtained, and 48.4 % proteins and 27.0 % polysaccharides were degraded. The dissolved proteins were contributed by abiotic factor, C. proteolyticus, and indigenous digestate bacteria, respectively, by around 16, 28, and 56 %.     

Microbial communities involved in biogas production from wheat straw as the sole substrate within a two-phase solid-state anaerobic digestion

Microbial communities involved in biogas production from wheat straw as the sole substrate were investigated. Anaerobic digestion was carried out within an up-flow anaerobic solid-state (UASS) reactor connected to an anaerobic filter (AF) by liquor recirculation. Two lab-scale reactor systems were operated simultaneously at 37 °C and 55 °C. The UASS reactors were fed at a fixed organic loading rate of 2.5 g L⁻¹ d⁻¹, based on volatile solids. Molecular genetic analyses of the bacterial and archaeal communities within the UASS reactors (digestate and effluent liquor) and the AFs (biofilm carrier and effluent liquor) were conducted under steady-state conditions. The thermophilic UASS reactor had a considerably higher biogas and methane yield in comparison to the mesophilic UASS, while the mesophilic AF was slightly more productive than the thermophilic AF. When the thermophilic and mesophilic community structures were compared, the thermophilic system was characterized by a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, as revealed by 16S rRNA gene (rrs) sequence analysis. The composition of the archaeal communities was phase-separated under thermophilic conditions, but rather stage-specific under mesophilic conditions. Family- and order-specific real-time PCR of methanogenic Archaea supported the taxonomic distribution obtained by rrs sequence analysis. The higher anaerobic digestion efficiency of the thermophilic compared to the mesophilic UASS reactor was accompanied by a high abundance of Firmicutes and Methanosarcina sp. in the thermophilic UASS biofilm.     

PCB and AOX removal in mesophilic and thermophilic sewage sludge digestion

In this study, a comparison of the biodegradation of adsorbed organic halogen compounds (AOX) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic digestion (seeded with waste activated sludge) at different hydraulic retention times (HRT 18, 22 and 26 days in the mesophilic digester and 8, 12, 18, 22 and 26 days in the thermophilic digester) was performed. Results obtained in this work showed an enhancement of both PCB and AOX biodegradation under thermophilic conditions. The total PCB removal efficiency was in the range of 59.4–83.5% under thermophilic conditions and 33.0–58.0% under mesophilic conditions. HRT played an important role in the digester performance since high working HRTs implied more reduction of the total PCB amount in the sludge. The total PCB content in the treated sludge under thermophilic conditions lied below the cut-off limit proposed in the 3rd draft of Directive presented to the European Commission [CEC, Working Document on Sludge (3rd Draft), Commission of the European Communities Directorate-General Environment, ENV.E.3/LM, Brussels, 27 April 2000]. Besides, a bioaccumulation of lightly chlorinated PCBs was detected in the mesophilic digester, which is in concordance with the theory that the PCBs are anaerobically biodegraded by means of a reductive dechlorination mechanism. On the other hand, the AOX removal efficiency was in the range of 40.4–50.3% for thermophilic conditions and 30.2–43.2% for mesophilic conditions. The AOX content in the treated sludge of both thermophilic and mesophilic digesters did not exceed the cut-off limit proposed in the 3rd draft [CEC, Working Document on Sludge (3rd Draft), Commission of the European Communities Directorate-General Environment, ENV.E.3/LM, Brussels, 27 April 2000]. Moreover, high HRTs promoted an improvement of the AOX removal capacity of the anaerobic digestion.