Methanogenic biofilms attached to nylon pad and nylon with silicon carbide pad Raw sequence reads

This study explored diversity, population dynamics, and interactions into microbial CH4-producing communities during biofilms formation in two carrier materials, nylon pad and nylon with silicon carbide pad, this latter with semi-conductive capabilities. These carrier materials were tested in an Fixed-Bed Reactor under the same operating conditions to compare microbial structures and interactions. Principal Components Analysis correlations indicated that both materials facilitated the proliferation of syntrophic populations enhancing methanogenesis. In this context, the semiconducting properties of silicon carbide added to the nylon pad exhibited a different microbial structure and interactions favoring direct interspecies electron transfer, which makes it a promising commercial material for further investigation to optimize the anaerobic digestion process.