Anaerobic digestion laboratory scale reactors. AD Reactor Sequencing

Triplicate 20-litre, 1-D lab-scale EGSB reactors were operated and monitored during phased adaptation from the treatment of low-strength industrial waste (600mgCOD/L) at mesophilic temperature (37degC) to the treatment of low-strength synthetic sewage (500mgCOD/L) at ambient temperature (15degC). Phased operation included: treatment of low-strength industrial waste at 37degC, 22degC and 15degC and treatment of low-strength synthetic sewage at 15degC. COD removal efficiencies, VFA accumulation and methane production rates were used to assess reactor performance under each condition. Specific methanogenic activity assays were used to monitor community physiology after adaptation to each condition. Whole community metagenomics sequencing using the Illumina Hiseq platform was utilised to monitor microbial community dynamics both spatially and temporally under each condition.