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

Abstract

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 Methanosaetamore » 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.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
  2. Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang (China)
  3. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1474530
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 101; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0175-7598
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Citation Formats

Chen, Si, Cheng, Huicai, Liu, Jiang, Hazen, Terry C., Huang, Vicki, and He, Qiang. Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9.
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Chen, Si, Cheng, Huicai, Liu, Jiang, Hazen, Terry C., Huang, Vicki, & He, Qiang. Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater. United States. doi:10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9.
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Chen, Si, Cheng, Huicai, Liu, Jiang, Hazen, Terry C., Huang, Vicki, and He, Qiang. Thu . "Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater". United States. doi:10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9.
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@article{osti_1474530,
title = {Unexpected competitiveness of Methanosaeta populations at elevated acetate concentrations in methanogenic treatment of animal wastewater},
author = {Chen, Si and Cheng, Huicai and Liu, Jiang and Hazen, Terry C. and Huang, Vicki and He, Qiang},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9},
journal = {Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology},
issn = {0175-7598},
number = 4,
volume = 101,
place = {United States},
year = {2016},
month = {11}
}
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Journal Article:
DOI:  10.1007/s00253-016-7967-9
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