Progressive Degradation of Crude Oil n-Alkanes Coupled to Methane Production under Mesophilic and Thermophilic Conditions

Methanogenic degradation of organic matter occurs in a wide temperature range from psychrophilic to extreme thermophilic conditions. Mesophilic and thermophilic methanogenesis is relatively well investigated, but little is known about low temperature methanogenesis and psychrophilic methanogenic communities. The aim of the present work was to study methanogenesis in a wide range of temperatures with samples from sediments of deep lakes. These sediments may be considered deposits of different types of microorganisms, which are constantly exposed to low temperatures. The main question was how psychrophilic methanogenic microbial communities compare to mesophilic and thermophilic ones. Methanogenesis in a temperature range of 2–70°C was investigated using sediment samples from Baldegger lake (65 m) and Soppen lake (25 m), Switzerland. Methane production from organic matter of sediments occurred at all temperatures tested. An exponential dependence of methane production rate was found between 2 and 30°C. Methanogenesis occurred even at 70°C. At the same time stable methane production from organic matter of sediments was observed at temperatures below 10°C. Methanogenic microbial communities were enriched at different temperatures. The communities enriched at 4–8°C had the highest activity at low temperatures indicating that a specific psychrophilic community exists. Addition of substrates such as cellulose, volatile fatty acids (butyrate, propionate, acetate), methanol and H2/CO2 stimulated methane production at all temperatures. H2/CO2 as well as methanol were directly converted to methane under thermophilic conditions. At low temperatures these substrates were converted to methane by a two-step process. First acetate was formed, followed by methane production from acetate. When acetate concentrations were high, acetoclastic methanogenesis was inhibited at low temperatures. This reaction appears to be one of the “bottle neck” in psychrophilic methanogenesis.

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Comparison of the biodegradability of the grey fraction of municipal solid waste of Barcelona in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2003.0212 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 21-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

S. Mace ◽

D. Bolzonella ◽

F. Cecchi ◽

J. Mata-Alvarez

Keyword(s):

Kinetic Study ◽

Methane Production ◽

Kinetic Constant ◽

Order Kinetic ◽

Organic Loading ◽

First Order ◽

Loading Rates ◽

Start Up ◽

Constant Operation ◽

Thermophilic Conditions

The results of the start-up of two digesters in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, together with its steady results at several organic loading rates are described. A kinetic study is also carried out which allows one to estimate the ultimate methane production, together with the first-order kinetic constant. Operation at thermophilic temperature yields better results as it allows a more loaded reactor and the methane production is slightly higher.

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Anaerobic digestion of mixed microalgae cultivated in secondary effluent under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2015.344 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 72 (8) ◽

pp. 1398-1403 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Glenda Cea-Barcia ◽

Gloria Moreno ◽

Germán Buitrón

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Methane Production ◽

Incubation Temperature ◽

Secondary Effluent ◽

Microalgae Culture ◽

Batch Tests ◽

Volatile Solids ◽

Thermophilic Conditions ◽

Maximum Production Rate ◽

Mesophilic Conditions

The anaerobic digestion of mixed indigenous microalgae, grown in a secondary effluent, was evaluated in batch tests at mesophilic (35°C) and thermophilic (50°C) conditions. Under mesophilic conditions, specific methane production varied from 178 to 207 mL CH4/g volatile solids (VS) and the maximum production rate varied from 8.8 to 26.1 mL CH4/(gVS day), depending on the type of microalgae culture. Lower methane parameters were observed in those cultures where Scenedesmus represents more than 95% of the microalge. The culture with the lowest digestion performances under mesophilic conditions was studied under thermophilic conditions. The increase in the incubation temperature significantly increased the specific methane production (390 mL CH4/g VS) and rate (26.0 mL CH4/(gVS day)). However, under thermophilic conditions a lag period of 30 days was observed.

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Optimization of the thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure, agriculture waste and inorganic additive through specific methanogenic activity

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2014.109 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 69 (12) ◽

pp. 2381-2388 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. Jiménez ◽

M. E. Cisneros-Ortiz ◽

Y. Guardia-Puebla ◽

J. M. Morgan-Sagastume ◽

A. Noyola

Keyword(s):

Rice Straw ◽

Methane Production ◽

Hydrolytic Activity ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Pig Manure ◽

Agriculture Waste ◽

Methanogenic Activity ◽

Thermophilic Conditions ◽

Specific Methanogenic Activity ◽

Positive Effect

The anaerobic co-digestion of three wastes (manure, rice straw and clay residue, an inorganic additive) at different concentration levels and their interactive effects on methanogenic activity were investigated in this work at thermophilic conditions in order to enhance hydrolytic activity and methane production. A central composite design and the response surface methodology were applied for the optimization of specific methanogenic activity (SMA) by assessing their interaction effects with a reduced number of experiments. The results showed a significant interaction among the wastes on the SMA and confirmed that co-digestion enhances methane production. Rice straw apparently did not supply a significant amount of substrate to make a difference in SMA or methane yield. On the other hand, clay residue had a positive effect as an inorganic additive for stimulating the anaerobic process, based on its mineral content and its adsorbent properties for ammonia. Finally, the optimal conditions for achieving a thermophilic SMA value close to 1.4 g CH4-COD/g VSS · d−1 were 20.3 gVSS/L of manure, 9.8 gVSS/L of rice straw and 3.3 gTSS/L of clay.

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Methane production in an UASB reactor operated under periodic mesophilic–thermophilic conditions

Biotechnology and Bioengineering ◽

10.1002/bit.21850 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 100 (6) ◽

pp. 1115-1121 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J.-S. Bourque ◽

S.R. Guiot ◽

B. Tartakovsky

Keyword(s):

Methane Production ◽

Uasb Reactor ◽

Thermophilic Conditions

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An explanation of the methanogenic pathway for methane production in anaerobic digestion of nitrogen-rich materials under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions

Bioresource Technology ◽

10.1016/j.biortech.2018.05.062 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 264 ◽

pp. 42-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Dong-Min Yin ◽

Maria Westerholm ◽

Wei Qiao ◽

Shao-Jie Bi ◽

Simon M. Wandera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Methane Production ◽

Thermophilic Conditions

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Enhancement of Methane Production in Thermophilic Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Exhausted Sugar Beet Pulp and Pig Manure

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app9091791 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1791 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Xiomara Gómez-Quiroga ◽

Kaoutar Aboudi ◽

Carlos José Álvarez-Gallego ◽

Luis Isidoro Romero-García

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Methane Production ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Biogas Production ◽

Methanogenic Archaea ◽

Sugar Beet Pulp ◽

Pig Manure ◽

Thermophilic Conditions ◽

Beet Pulp ◽

The Individual

In this paper, the viability of thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of exhausted sugar beet pulp (ESBP) and pig manure (PM) was evaluated. The effect of the proportion of ESBP on biogas production was investigated by using a series of lab-scale batch assays, in duplicates. The following five ESBP:PM mixture ratios were studied: 0:100, 10:90, 25:75, 50:50, and 100:0. The highest cumulative methane production (212.4 mL CH4/g VSadded) was reached for the mixture 25:75. The experimental results showed that the increase in the proportion of ESBP in the mixture led to the distortion of the process, due to acidification by the volatile fatty acids generated. Acetic acid was the predominant acid in all the cases, representing more than 78% of the total acidity. Moreover, the results obtained by operating at thermophilic temperatures have been compared with those obtained in a previous study conducted at mesophilic temperatures. The results have shown that in the individual digestion of ESBP, the activity of acetoclastic methanogens was affected in both temperatures, but especially in thermophilic conditions. Thus, the methane produced in the individual thermophilic digestion of ESBP came almost entirely from the activity of hydrogen-utilizing methanogenic archaea.

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