Metagenomic analysis of some key samples from anaerobic digestion of high salt and sulphate waste.. MARA2018

The waste stream generated by our industrial partner, MARA/AO3, during the production of omega3 fatty acids from marine algae is very large and still rich in nutrients and solid cellular material.The generated wastewater contains amino acids, metals, sulphate and high salt concentration. Discharge or treatment of this waste has an associated cost, both fiscal and environmental. Anaerobic digestion of this waste has the potential to reduce costs, recover value and resources and reduce environmental impact. This project explored whether a salt-tolerant microbial community can carry out effective anaerobic digestion of this high-salt waste stream. We additionally investigated whether the used of molybdate as an inhibitor of sulphate reduction can increase the methane production potential of the sulphate-rich AO3 waste.