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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
06:17
Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions
Published on: August 15, 2019
Microbial community composition and methanogens' biodiversity during a temperature shift in a methane fermentation
Anna Banach1, Sławomir Ciesielski2, Tomasz Bacza1
1Environmental Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Power and Environmental Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology , Gliwice , Poland.
Environmental Technology
|April 24, 2018
Summary
Shifting anaerobic digestion (AD) from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions altered methanogen communities but not bacterial composition. Thermophilic AD showed higher biogas yield and methane content.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Understanding microbial community dynamics is crucial for optimizing anaerobic digestion (AD) processes.
- Temperature significantly influences microbial activity in bioreactors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of shifting from mesophilic (38°C) to thermophilic (55°C) conditions on microbial and methanogen communities during biogas production.
- To correlate AD parameters with microbial community composition.
Main Methods:
- Metagenomic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing for total microbial composition.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) of the mcrA gene for methanogen community analysis.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in bacterial community composition were observed between mesophilic and thermophilic phases.
- The dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes.
- Methanogen community structure significantly changed under thermophilic conditions, with temperature impacting archaeal methanogens directly after the shift.
Conclusions:
- While bacterial communities remained stable, temperature shifts strongly influenced methanogen diversity in anaerobic digestion.
- Thermophilic conditions resulted in improved biogas yield and methane content, suggesting process optimization potential.
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