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Title: Methanogenic population dynamics during start-up of anaerobic digesters treating municipal solid waste and biosolids

Journal Article · · Biotechnology and Bioengineering
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana, IL (United States)

An aggressive start-up strategy was used to initiate codigestion in two anaerobic, continuously mixed bench-top reactors at mesophilic (37 C) and thermophilic (55 C) conditions. The digesters were inoculated with mesophilic anaerobic sewage sludge and cattle manure and were fed a mixture of simulated municipal solid waste and biosolids in proportions that reflect US production rates. The design organic loading rate was 3.1 kg volatile solids/m{sup 3}/day and the retention time was 20 days. Ribosomal RNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes were used to determine the methanogenic community structure in the inocula and the digesters. Chemical analyses were performed to evaluate digester performance. The aggressive start-up strategy was successful for the thermophilic reactor, despite the use of a mesophilic inoculum.

OSTI ID:
571658
Journal Information:
Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 57, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: 5 Feb 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English