Microbial synthesis structures organic compound composition in anaerobic digestion.

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Biogeochemistry

Background:

• Anaerobic digestion (AD) is crucial for sustainable waste management and renewable energy.
• Understanding the intricate microbe-metabolite interactions within AD systems is essential but challenging.
• Current knowledge gaps hinder the optimization of AD processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the complex interplay between microbial communities and dissolved organic matter (DOM) during anaerobic digestion.
• To identify persistent metabolites and their associations with microbial metabolism and system performance.
• To establish a framework for predictive monitoring and optimization of AD technologies.

Main Methods:

• Integrated high-resolution molecular profiling and microbial community sequencing over three months.
• Analysis of samples from seven full-scale anaerobic digesters.
• Disentangling metabolic pathways and microbe-metabolite associations.

Main Results:

• Identified 28,925 DOM molecules, including a core of 1,154 conserved metabolites.
• Discovered a persistent mass window (183.57-390.81 m/z) of molecules strongly linked to microbial communities and feedstock.
• Revealed significant microbe-metabolite associations (7.77-24.52 per digester) correlating with methane production and system efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Microbial processing of DOM is a critical factor influencing microbe-metabolite interactions in AD.
• The identified microbe-metabolite associations provide insights into AD performance.
• This study offers a conceptual framework for enhancing the monitoring and optimization of engineered biotechnologies like AD.