Methanosarcina species with a high maximum specific growth rate (mumax) and high half-saturation coefficient (KS) and Methanosaeta species with a low mumax and low KS are the only known aceticlastic methanogens. Because of Methanosaeta's low KS, the low acetate concentrations in conventional, mesophilic anaerobic digestion yield Methanosaeta dominance. However, Methanosarcina absorbs increases ...

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs, prion diseases) are a class of fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting a variety of mammalian species including humans. A misfolded form of the prion protein (PrP(TSE)) is the major, if not sole, component of the infectious agent. Prions are highly resistant to degradation and to many disinfection procedures suggesting that, if prions enter wa...

Digestion of sugar beet pulp was assessed in relation to biogas and methane production, foaming potential, and digestate dewaterability. Four 4-litre working volume digesters were operated mesophilically (37±0.5 °C) and four thermophilically (55±0.5 °C) over three hydraulic retention times. Digesters were operated in duplicate at organic loading rates (OLR) of 4 and 5 g volatile solids l(-1) da...

Understanding fate of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) vs. their antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during wastewater sludge treatment is critical in order to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance through process optimization. Here, we spiked high concentrations of tetracycline-resistant bacteria, isolated from mesophilic (Iso M1-1-a Pseudomonas sp.) and thermophilic (Iso T10-a Bacillus...

In this study, the efficacy of biochar to mitigate ammonia stress and improve methane production is investigated. Chicken manure (CM) was subjected high-solid mesophilic anaerobic digestion (15% total solid content) with wood (BC). Wood further treated using HNO3 NaOH produce acid–alkali-treated (TBC), an improvement in its overall ammonium adsorption capacity porosity. Three treatments were lo...

The aim of the research was to establish the influence of kitchen biowaste as a co-substrate on the effectiveness and stability of animal faeces (pig manure) anaerobic digestion for biogas production, conducted in mesophilic conditions. Digestion process was conducted for manure as well as mixtures containing 10% of kitchen biowaste and 90% of manure. The proportion of substrates in the co-dige...

There has been an increase in community-associated Clostridium difficile infections with biosolids derived from wastewater treatment being identified as one potential source. The current study evaluated the efficacy of thermophilic digestion in decreasing levels of C. difficile ribotype 078 associated with sewage sludge. Five isolates of C. difficile 078 were introduced (final density of 5 log ...

VIII Abstract Anaerobic digestion of energy crops for biogas production has attracted much interest in recent years. In Germany, the most common process is the continuous wet-fermentation of energy crops with cattle slurry or pig slurry (co-digestion). But also the digestion of energy crops as single substrate without slurry (mono-digestion) becomes more important. Because of the great diversit...