Work

The anaerobic digestion microbiome is robust toward variation in the waste activated sludge feed

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Anaerobic digestion stands out as the foremost technology for maximizing the valorization of waste activated sludge (WAS) to recover energy and recover resources. The physical/chemical and microbial makeup of WAS is susceptible to seasonal fluctuations, due to the open-air nature of wastewater treatment facilities, potentially impacting subsequent digester performance and the quality of the resulting digestate. This study delved into a comprehensive analysis of both the initial WAS and the digestate produced by 12 full-scale digesters during both a summer and winter sampling campaign. A significant influence of seasonal variations was observed on the physical/chemical and microbial composition of WAS. Interestingly, the digestate microbiome exhibited a high resilience with minimal seasonal fluctuations, but instead showed variations between different digesters. In summary, this research demonstrates that while WAS composition manifests in specific physical/chemical attributes, it does not exert a discernible influence on the microbial composition of the resulting digestate.

Source: ISME Communications

DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf072

Authors: Josefien Van Landuyt, Jasmine Oosterlinck, Jo De Vrieze

Institutions: Ghent University, Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban Resource Recovery

Language: English

Topic: Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production

Subfield: Building and Construction

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,611