Boosting landfill gas production from lignin-containing wastes via termite hindgut microorganism

Lignocellulose comprises a significant portion of municipal solid waste (MSW) - 40-70% in developed countries, including paper, wood, and yard waste. Cellulose and hemicellulose are often shielded by lignin, posing a barrier to waste decomposition and landfill gas generation. Unfortunately, lignin is resistant to microbial degradation under low-oxygen conditions that normally occur in MSW landfills. The bacterium strain TAV5, microaerophilic and member of phylum Verrucomicrobia, isolated from the hindgut of the Reticulitermes flavipes termite, the most widely distributed subterranean termite in North America. Its genome contains genes associated with methylotrophic competency which code for enzymes that structurally modify lignin. The overall goal of this research was to use TAV5 to modify lignin and boost methane production from MSW. Batch-scale reactors (125 mL) were filled with paper, yard, or wood waste, and four ratios of mixed of waste. Reactors were seeded with different ratios of TAV5 to anaerobic digester (AD) microorganisms (representing landfill anaerobic microorganisms). Based on batch tests, optimal ratios of TAV5 to AD microorganisms were used to seed wastes (mixed, yard, and wood) in 6-gallon reactors. Addition of TAV5 increased methane production from mixed waste, yard waste, and wood, by 49%, 34%, and 297%, respectively. TAV5 decreased acid soluble lignin by 7-39%, depending on waste type. TAV5 grown under aerobic conditions and room temperature (not requiring a heated anaerobic chamber) was found to remain viable and increase methane production under low-level oxygen conditions (1-2%). This finding will potentially lessen costs for growing large volumes of it for seeding landfills.