Influence of C18 long chain fatty acids on hydrogen metabolism

During anaerobic treatment, several microorganisms mediate a series of reactions to convert reduced compounds (electron donors) into methane. Inhibitors such as long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) can affect several anaerobic microbial populations and decrease the treatment efficiency. The effects of three C18 LCFAs on hydrogenotrophic methanogens in a flocculated mixed anaerobic culture were assessed in this study. The reaction half-life and the hydrogen versus time profiles were used to characterize the inhibition process. The half-life values and profiles were similar for controls and cultures exposed to LCFAs for 1 h. The hydrogen inhibition was a function of the exposure time and the LCFA concentration except for cultures exposed to stearic acid (SA). A statistical analysis of the reaction half-life for cultures incubated with 1,500 and 2,000 mg L(-1) LCFAs for 48 h, revealed the following inhibition trend: linoleic acid (LA) > oleic acid (OA) > SA. After 48 h of exposure, no clear inhibition trend was observed for cultures inoculated with LCFA mixtures; however, at levels of 1,500 and 2,000 mg L(-1), the reaction half-life values were less than that observed for cultures fed with only LA. Based on the reaction half-life data, all of the LCFAs except SA at threshold levels of approximately 1,500 mg L(-1) inhibited hydrogen metabolism. The greatest inhibition and, hence, the largest amount of accumulated hydrogen was observed in cultures fed with 2,000 mg L(-1) LA and incubated for 48 h.