Effects of Continuous Thermophilic Composting (CTC) on Bacterial Community in the Active Composting Process

The method of continuous thermophilic composting (CTC) remarkably shortened the active composting cycle and enhanced the compost stability. Effects of CTC on the quantities of bacteria, with a comparison to the traditional composting (TC) method, were explored by plate count with incubation at 30, 40 and 50°C, respectively, and by quantitative PCR targeting the universal bacterial 16S rRNA genes and the Bacillus 16S rRNA genes. The comparison of cultivatable or uncultivatable bacterial numbers indicated that CTC might have increased the biomass of bacteria, especially Bacillus spp., during the composting. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis was employed to investigate the effects of CTC on bacterial diversity, and a community dominated by fewer species was detected in a typical CTC run. The analysis of sequence and phylogeny based on DGGE indicated that the continuously high temperature had changed the structure of bacterial community and strengthened the mainstay role of the thermophilic and spore-forming Bacillus spp. in CTC run.     

Characteristics of Mesophilic Bacteria Isolated during Thermophilic Composting of Sewage Sludge

The degree of inactivation by UV irradiation was different between vegetative cells and spores of bacteria isolated from sewage sludge composting at 60°C. By using this property, a method to estimate the spore ratio of a mixture of vegetative cells and spores was presented. This UV irradiation method was applied to the estimation of the spore ratio of sewage sludge compost samples collected at several stages of composting. The spore ratio of mesophilic bacteria in the samples obtained at the thermophilic stage of 60°C was 40% at most. The vegetative form of mesophilic bacteria showed a thermotolerance property at 60°C by forming colonies but showed no respiratory activity at that temperature.     

Population Changes in Enteric Bacteria and Other Microorganisms During Aerobic Thermophilic Windrow Composting

Composting of wastes from swine feeding operations was studied. The effects of the frequency of turning the wastes and addition of straw to improve the physical structure were studied to determine the most effective technique to rapidly increase the temperature and, consequently, destroy coliforms and Salmonella. Four different treatments were studied; the results showed that, with addition of 5% (wt/wt) straw and mechanical turning of the compost 20 times per week, the temperature reached 60 C within 3 days and enteric bacteria were destroyed within 14 days.     

Microbial Community Growth and Utilization of Carbon Constituents During Thermophilic Composting at Different Oxygen Levels

Composting is characterized by dramatic changes in microbial community structure, to a high extent driven by changes in temperature and in the composition of the organic substrate. This study focuses on the interrelationships between decomposition of major classes in the organic material and dynamics in microbial populations during thermophilic composting of source-separated organic household waste. Experiments were performed in a 200-L laboratory reactor at 16, 2.5, and 1% O₂ in the compost atmosphere. Major classes of carbon constituents were analyzed by chemical methods, and the microbial biomass and community structure determined by fatty acid analyses with phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and total ester-linked fatty acids (EL) methods. At all three O₂ levels, the process was characterized by a rapid increase in microbial activity and biomass in the early thermophilic phase, although this period was delayed at the lower O₂ concentrations. Starch and fat were the main substrates utilized at all three O₂ levels during this period. The depletion of the starch fraction coincided with the beginning of a microbial biomass decrease, suggesting thatstarch is an important carbon substrate for the growth of thermophilic microorganisms during composting. Growth yields in the microbial community based on consumption of major carbon constituent classes in the high-activity period fell between 22 and 28%. Multivariate statistical analysis of changes in fatty acid composition revealed small, but statistically significant differences in the microbial community succession. At 16% O₂, 10Me fatty acids from Actinomycetes and cyclopropyl fatty acids (from Gram-negative bacteria) became more important with time, whereas 18:1ω7t was characteristic at 2.5 and 1% O₂, indicating a more stressed bacterial community at the lower O₂ concentrations. Although adequate composting was achieved at O₂ levels as low as 2.5 and 1%, it is not recommended to compost at such low levels in large-scale systems, because the heterogeneous gas transport through the material in these systems might lead to anaerobic conditions and inefficient composting.     

Efforts to Explain and Control the Prolonged Thermophilic Period in Two-phase Olive Oil Mill Sludge Composting

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the use of different bulking agents in different ratios as a means to control, optimise and eventually reduce the duration of the thermophilic period in two-phase olive oil mill sludge (OOMS) composting. The bulking agents used were: (i) olive tree leaves (OTL), (ii) olive tree shredded branches (OTB) and (iii) woodchips (WDC). The selection of these materials was based on their abundance and availability on the island of Crete, the southernmost point of Greece. The ratios studied were: Pile 1, OOMS:OTL in 1:1 v/v; Pile 2, OOMS:WDC in 1:1.5 v/v; Pile 3, OOMS:OTL in 1:2 v/v; Pile 4, OOMS:OTL:OTB in 1:1:1 v/v; and Pile 5, OOMS:OTL:OTB in 1:1:2 v/v. The composting system used was that of windrows with the volume of each pile approximately 20–25 m³. The experiments took place over two consecutive years. A composting turner was used and turnings were performed at one and two week intervals. In each pile a variety of physiochemical parameters were monitored. Temperature remained high in all five trials. Piles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 temperatures recorded values of above 50 °C for 106, 158, 160, 175 and 183 days, respectively. Volumes were reduced by approximately 67%, 62%, 63%, 80% and 84%, respectively. Temperature remained high, mainly due to the presence in large amounts of oily substances which during their complete oxidation release important amounts of energy and aid the cometabolism of more stable molecules such as lignin. This process is better described as the slow “burning” of a “fuel” mixture in an “engine” than composting. This approach is based on the extensive similarities of this process to that of crude oil sludge or similar waste composting.     

Development of a Continuous Bioconversion System Using a Thermophilic Whole-Cell Biocatalyst

The heat treatment of recombinant mesophilic cells having heterologous thermophilic enzymes results in the denaturation of indigenous mesophilic enzymes and the elimination of undesired side reactions; therefore, highly selective whole-cell catalysts comparable to purified enzymes can be readily prepared. However, the thermolysis of host cells leads to the heat-induced leakage of thermophilic enzymes, which are produced as soluble proteins, limiting the exploitation of their excellent stability in repeated and continuous reactions. In this study, Escherichia coli cells having the thermophilic fumarase from Thermus thermophilus (TtFTA) were treated with glutaraldehyde to prevent the heat-induced leakage of the enzyme, and the resulting cells were used as a whole-cell catalyst in repeated and continuous reactions. Interestingly, although electron microscopic observations revealed that the cellular structure of glutaraldehyde-treated E. coli was not apparently changed by the heat treatment, the membrane permeability of the heated cells to relatively small molecules (up to at least 3 kDa) was significantly improved. By applying the glutaraldehyde-treated E. coli having TtFTA to a continuous reactor equipped with a cell-separation membrane filter, the enzymatic hydration of fumarate to malate could be operated for more than 600 min with a molar conversion yield of 60% or higher.     

Change in Microbial Numbers during Thermophilic Composting of Sewage Sludge with Reference to CO2 Evolution Rate

Dewatered sewage sludge was composted in a laboratory-scale autothermal reactor in which a constant temperature of 60°C was kept as long as possible by regulating the air feed rate. The change in CO₂ evolution rate was measured continuously from the start up through the cessation of compositing. The succession of mesophilic bacteria, thermophilic bacteria, and thermophilic actinomycetes was also observed during the composting. Specific CO₂ evolution rates of thermophilic bacteria and actinomycetes in the constant-temperature region of 60°C were assessed quantitatively. It was found that the CO₂ evolution rate was attributed to thermophilic bacteria at the initial stage of 60°C and to thermophilic actinomycetes at the later stage of 60°C.     

Relating Quinone Profile to the Aerobic Biodegradation in Thermophilic Composting Processes of Cattle Manure with Various Bulking Agents

Summary Cattle manure was composted aerobically with various bulking agents (rice straw, vermiculite, sawdust or waste paper) at a constant incubation temperature of 60 °C. Increased quinone content (IQC) was used to assess microbial biomass in the composted material. IQC was proportional to mass reduction (MR) (R = 0.812) and cumulative O₂ consumption (COC) (R = 0.810) irrespective of the bulking agent used, indicating that the yield of quinone was constant. Quinone yields were 0.44 ± 0.03 μmol quinone/g MR and 0.34 ± 0.02 μmol quinone/g COC. The material that was decomposed by microorganisms was considered to be mainly cattle manure. Bulking agents were not degraded within the 14 day trial period and did not affect microbial succession because composting runs with various bulking agents exhibited similar quinone yields.     

Change in Microbial Numbers during Thermophilic Composting of Sewage Sludge with Reference to CO(2) Evolution Rate

Dewatered sewage sludge was composted in a laboratory-scale autothermal reactor in which a constant temperature of 60 degrees C was kept as long as possible by regulating the air feed rate. The change in CO(2) evolution rate was measured continuously from the start up through the cessation of compositing. The succession of mesophilic bacteria, thermophilic bacteria, and thermophilic actinomycetes was also observed during the composting. Specific CO(2) evolution rates of thermophilic bacteria and actinomycetes in the constant-temperature region of 60 degrees C were assessed quantitatively. It was found that the CO(2) evolution rate was attributed to thermophilic bacteria at the initial stage of 60 degrees C and to thermophilic actinomycetes at the later stage of 60 degrees C.     

A Novel Acidimicrobium Species in Continuous Cultures of Moderately Thermophilic, Mineral-Sulfide-Oxidizing Acidophiles

A novel species of Acidimicrobium appeared to be the predominant ferrous iron oxidizer in a mixed culture that effected the continuous, efficient extraction of nickel from a mineral concentrate at 49°C, but it was not isolated in pure culture. It outcompeted Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans, which was expected to have a major role in iron oxidation in reactors gassed with air, and was outnumbered at 49°C only by the sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus caldus. Sulfobacillus species were expected to compete with Acidimicrobium species when culture aeration was enriched with carbon dioxide, but they were a minor component of the populations with and without this enrichment. Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans replaced the Acidimicrobium species and Acidithiobacillus caldus when the temperature was increased to 55°C.     

Continuous Asymmetric Reduction Of 4-Oxoisophorone By Thermophilic Bacteria Using A Hollow Fiber Reactor

Continuous asymmetric reduction of 4-oxoisophorone by the thermophilic bacterium Thermomonospora curvata JTS321 was examined using three reactor systems: packed bed, fluidized bed and hollow fiber. T. curvata was immobilized in polyacrylamide-hydrazide gels when used in the packed and fluidized bed reactors. Of the three reactor systems, the highest productivity (964 mg.1^-1.h^-1) was observed in the fluidized bed reactor. However, many cells grew outside of the gel matrix, causing product contamination. The productivity of the hollow fiber reactor was 504 mg.1^-1.h^-1; the problem of cell contamination of the product was avoided, as the molecular cut-off of the hollow fibers (400 000) was of an appropriate size to prevent cell leakage to the product stream. We therefore consider that the hollow fiber reactor is most suitable for continuous microbial conversions.     

Continuous Asymmetric Reduction Of 4-Oxoisophorone By Thermophilic Bacteria Using A Hollow Fiber Reactor

Continuous asymmetric reduction of 4-oxoisophorone by the thermophilic bacterium Thermomonospora curvata JTS321 was examined using three reactor systems: packed bed, fluidized bed and hollow fiber. T. curvata was immobilized in polyacrylamide-hydrazide gels when used in the packed and fluidized bed reactors. Of the three reactor systems, the highest productivity (964 mg.1^-1.h^-1) was observed in the fluidized bed reactor. However, many cells grew outside of the gel matrix, causing product contamination. The productivity of the hollow fiber reactor was 504 mg.1^-1.h^-1; the problem of cell contamination of the product was avoided, as the molecular cut-off of the hollow fibers (400 000) was of an appropriate size to prevent cell leakage to the product stream. We therefore consider that the hollow fiber reactor is most suitable for continuous microbial conversions.     

Effect of Temperature, Aeration, and Moisture on CO2 Formation in Bench-Scale, Continuously Thermophilic Composting of Solid Waste

A compost production system was employed to supply uniform material for controlled experiments of factorial design. Over a 96-h composting period, the cumulative amount of CO₂ evolved was maximal at 56 to 60°C, an aeration rate that left an O₂ residual of 10 or 18% in the exhaust gas and a moisture content of 60% wet weight. Carbon dioxide evolution was submaximal at 64°C and higher.     

嗜热细菌

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Effect of Pollution Load and Oxygen Availability on Thermophilic Aerobic Continuous Biodegradation of Potato Processing Wastewater

The possibility of enhancing the effectiveness of the biodegradation process of potato wastewater was evaluated. The effect of wastewater pollution load, dilution rate and oxygen supplementation during the thermophilic aerobic continuous utilization process on biodegradation of the main organic pollutants was investigated. Aeration performed using a stirred tank reactor (1.5 vvm, 300 rpm, 55 °C) proved to be not sufficient to provide aerobic conditions. During the continuous process, the amount of oxygen introduced into the wastewater was totally utilized by the microflora. The accumulation and decomposition of the fermentative metabolism products of the Bacillus mixed culture during oxygen limitation and supplementation were analyzed. Under microaerobic conditions (DOT < 1 %), a biosynthesis of acetic acid was observed up to a concentration of 6.5 g/dm³. After chemostat conditions were achieved, the level of acetic acid stabilized at 2.2 g/dm³. The addition of oxygen for aeration allowed a total decomposition of organic acids like acetic and lactic acid (the by‐products were synthesized from partially oxidized substrates) as well as an increase in COD reduction of the wastewater (from 66 % to 79 %). The periodic fortification of aeration with pure oxygen is proposed for critical situations during the continuous wastewater biodegradation when an unexpected inflow of highly polluted wastewater occurs in the system.     

Thermophilic Carbon-Sulfur-Bond-Targeted Biodesulfurization

Petroleum contains many heterocyclic organosulfur compounds refractory to conventional hydrodesulfurization carried out with chemical catalysts. Among these, dibenzothiophene (DBT) and DBTs bearing alkyl substitutions are representative compounds. Two bacterial strains, which have been identified as Paenibacillus strains and which are capable of efficiently cleaving carbon-sulfur (C--S) bonds in DBT at high temperatures, have been isolated for the first time. Upon attacking DBT and its various methylated derivatives at temperatures up to 60(deg)C, both growing and resting cells of these bacteria can release sulfur atoms as sulfate ions and leave the monohydroxylated hydrocarbon moieties intact. Moreover, when either of these paenibacilli was incubated at 50(deg)C with light gas oil previously processed through hydrodesulfurization, the total sulfur content in the oil phase clearly decreased.