Dynamics of perturbed microbial community during thermophilic anaerobic digestion of soluble carbon sources

The aim of the present study was to follow the shifts in microbial community dynamics of a laboratory-scale thermophilic anaerobic digester in relation to recurring perturbations in its process performance. The digester was operated on a chemically defined medium and a series of remedy measures were undertaken in an attempt to stabilize the process. Sludge was sampled on twelve occasions during 500 days of the experiment. DNA was extracted and analyzed with Illumina sequencing of the 16s rRNA genes. The outcomes of this study contribute to a better understanding of the anaerobic microbial community dynamics and functions in relation to pertubation events during thermophilic anaerobic digestion, with potential implications for process control and optimization.