Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Measuring Biomethane Potential of Food Scrap Waste Anaerobically Co-Digested with Waste-Activated Sludge Using Respirometry
Published on: April 26, 2024
Mesophilic fermentation of renewable biomass: does hydraulic retention time regulate methanogen diversity?
Niclas Krakat1, Stefan Schmidt, Paul Scherer
1Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Research Centre of Lifetec Process Engineering, 21033 Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany. niclas.krakat@haw-hamburg.de
Abstract:
The present long-term study (about 1,100 days) monitored the diversity of methanogens during the mesophilic, anaerobic digestion of beet silage. Six fermentor samples were analyzed by ribosomal RNA gene restriction analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and fluorescence microscopy. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens dominated within the population in all samples analyzed. Multidimensional scaling revealed that a rapid decrease in hydraulic retention time resulted in increased species richness, which in turn led to slightly higher CH(4) yields.
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Methanogenesis
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial Interactions: Mutualism
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Overview of Archaea
Microbial Fermentation

