Specific Methanogenic Activity from Anaerobic Biomass Originated from Full-Scale Anaerobic Digester Treating Domestic Sewage Sludge

摘要

Methanogens are anaerobic microorganisms that are able to process organic matter to methane via two pathways; aceticlastic and hydrogenotrophic. This microorganism is easily found in digested sludge from anaerobic digester. In practice, digested sludge is commonly used as inoculum for a new anaerobic digester. The quality of the inoculum is measured by performing specific methanogenic activity test. The objective of this study is to examine the specific aceticlastic methanogenic activity from active anaerobic biomass, in which acetate was a substrate. The anaerobic biomass was taken from an active local anaerobic digester treating domestic mixed sewage sludge, working at ambient mesophilic range. The VS destruction of the anaerobic digester dictates the anaerobic biomass characteristics, particularly VS (%) subsequently interfering the value of specific aceticlastic methanogenic activity. Digested sludge having biomass with higher VS (%) showed good aceticlastic methanogenic activity and are recommended to be used as inoculum for anaerobic biodegradability studies.