Drying effect on Digestate methane potential and oxygen tolerant of methanogenic related microbial community

In natural systems, such as lake sediments and paddy fields drying has been shown to increases methane production. However, in contrast, the decrease in water availability and the sudden exposure to oxygen should largely inhibit methanogenesis since methanogen, without forming resting spores, is believed to be intolerant to oxygen. The aim of this research was to explore the effect on microbial communities and methane production when drying and rewetting digestate with different organic matter content under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. We hypothesize that the organic matter availability has a prevailing predominance over the recovery desiccation and O2 stresses caused on methanogenic archaea by natural drying.