The effect of phenylacetic acid (PAA) pulses on anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and archaeal community structure was evaluated in anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Four pilot-scale continuous stirred tank reactors were set up at a full-scale municipal WWTP in Santiago de Chile, and fed with either primary or mixed sewage sludge. AD performance was evaluated by volatile fatty acid (VFA) and biogas production monitoring. Archaeal community structure was characterized by 16S rRNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and band sequencing. In the primary sludge digester, a single PAA pulse at 200 mg L−1 was sufficient to affect AD performance and archaeal community structure, resulting in long-term VFA accumulation, reduced biogas production and community shift from dominant acetoclastic (Methanosaeta concilii) to hydrogenotrophic (Methanospirillum hungatei) methanogens. By contrast, AD performance and archaeal community structure in the mixed sludge digester were stable and resistant to repeated PAA pulses at 200 and 600 mg L−1. This work demonstrated that the effect of PAA pulses on methanogenic activity and archaeal community structure differed according to AD substrate, and suggests that better insights of the correlations between archaeal population dynamics and functional performance could help to better face toxic shocks in AD.
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Research Article|
April 02 2015
Influence of phenylacetic acid pulses on anaerobic digestion performance and archaeal community structure in WWTP sewage sludge digesters Available to Purchase
Léa Cabrol;
1Biochemical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile
2Fraunhofer Chile Research, M. Sánchez Fontecilla 310, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile, Chile
E-mail: [email protected]
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Johana Urra;
Johana Urra
1Biochemical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile
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Francisca Rosenkranz;
Francisca Rosenkranz
1Biochemical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile
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Pablo Araya Kroff;
Pablo Araya Kroff
3Suez Environment, CIRSEE. 38 Rue du Président Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France
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Caroline M. Plugge;
Caroline M. Plugge
4Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703HB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Yves Lesty;
Yves Lesty
5Aguas Andinas S.A., Avenida Presidente Balmaceda, 1398 Santiago de Chile, Chile
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Rolando Chamy
Rolando Chamy
1Biochemical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile
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Water Sci Technol (2015) 71 (12): 1790–1799.
Article history
Received:
January 30 2015
Accepted:
March 23 2015
Citation
Léa Cabrol, Johana Urra, Francisca Rosenkranz, Pablo Araya Kroff, Caroline M. Plugge, Yves Lesty, Rolando Chamy; Influence of phenylacetic acid pulses on anaerobic digestion performance and archaeal community structure in WWTP sewage sludge digesters. Water Sci Technol 1 June 2015; 71 (12): 1790–1799. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.165
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