Potential priming effects on post-digestion of manure digestates

The application of priming was investigated for improving biogas production and post-digestion efficiency in a manure-based anaerobic digestion process. A mesophilic, continuously stirred digester was operated on manure-based agricultural waste. Digestate from the main digester (MD) was fed to a post-digester (PD) for further degradation. Potato starch was added as the priming substrate to the post-digester, where priming effects in terms of process performance and changes in microbial community structure were investigated.