Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater

Chen, Si; Cheng, Huicai; Liu, Jiang; Hazen, Terry C.; Huang, Vicki; He, Qiang

doi:10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9

Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater

Journal Article · Thu Nov 17 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9· OSTI ID:1474530

Chen, Si ^[1]; Cheng, Huicai ^[2]; Liu, Jiang ^[1]; Hazen, Terry C. ^[1]; Huang, Vicki ^[3]; He, Qiang ^[1]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang (China)
Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)

Acetoclastic methanogenesis is a key metabolic process in anaerobic digestion, a technology with broad applications in biogas production and waste treatment. Acetoclastic methanogenesis is known to be performed by two archaeal genera, Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina. The conventional model posits that Methanosaeta populations are more competitive at low acetate levels (<1 mM) than Methanosarcina and vice versa at higher acetate concentrations. While this model is supported by an extensive body of studies, reports of inconsistency have grown that Methanosaeta were observed to outnumber Methanosarcina at elevated acetate levels. In this study, monitoring of anaerobic digesters treating animal wastewater unexpectedly identified Methanosaeta as the dominant acetoclastic methanogen population at both low and high acetate levels during organic overloading. The surprising competitiveness of Methanosaeta at elevated acetate was further supported by the enrichment of Methanosaeta with high concentrations of acetate (20 mM). The dominance of Methanosaeta in the methanogen community could be reproduced in anaerobic digesters with the direct addition of acetate to above 20 mM, again supporting the competitiveness of Methanosaeta over Methanosarcina at elevated acetate levels. This study for the first time systematically demonstrated that the dominance of Methanosaeta populations in anaerobic digestion could be linked to the competitiveness of Methanosaeta at elevated acetate concentrations. Given the importance of acetoclastic methanogenesis in biological methane production, findings from this study could have major implications for developing strategies for more effective control of methanogenic treatment processes.

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1474530

Journal Information:: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Journal Name: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 101; ISSN 0175-7598

Publisher:: Springer

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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