Abstract
Two types of methanogenic granules capable of high chemical oxygen demand removal rates were developed in laboratory-scale upflow reactors at 35° C. One granule type (R-granules) had a rod-type Methanothrix-like species as the predominant species whereas the other (F-granules) had a filament-type M. soehngenii-like acetate-utilizer as the predominant species. These two types of granules were compared in terms of operational performance, physical-chemical characteristics and microbial population. The R-granules had a higher density [65–70 vs 39–43 g suspended solids (SS)/l], specific gravity (1.03 vs 1.01) and specific volumetric methane production rate (180 vs 120 l CH4/l granules per day) than the F-granules. Acetate, propionate and butyrate degraders in both types of granules had similar specific growth rates. The most probable number enumeration indicated that both types of granule had the same population levels (cells/g SS) in terms of methanogens (H2-CO2-, formate- and acetate-utilizing) and syntrophic acetogens. Hydrolytic-fermentative bacteria were present in greater number in the F-granules than in the R-granules. The R-granules had a higher cell density than the F-granules. The differences in operational performance were due mainly to their different microbial composition, especially the predominant acetate-utilizing methanogens in the granules. The long-filamentous M. soehngenii-like rods in the F-granules appeared to be responsible for their lower density and large-sized granules.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
APHA-AWWA-WPCF (1985) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 16th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C.
Dolfing J, Griffioen A, Neerven ARW van, Zevenhuizen LPTM (1985) Chemical and bacteriological composition of granular methanogenic sludge. Can J Microbiol 31:744–750
Dubourguier HC, Archer DB, Albagna G, Prensier G (1988) Structure and metabolism of methanogenic microbial conglomerates. In: Hall ER, Hobson PN (eds) Anaerobic Digestion 1988. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 13–25
Endo G, Tohya Y (1988) Ecological study on anaerobic sludge bulking caused by filamentous bacteria growth in an anaerobic contact process. Water Sci Technol 20(11/12):205–211
Kenealy W, Zeikus JG (1981) Influence of corinoid antagonists on methanogen metabolism. J Bacteriol 146:133–140
Grotenhuis JTC, Kissel JC, Plugge CM, Stams AJM, Zehnder AJB (1991a) Role of substrate concentration in particle size distribution of methanogenic granular sludge in UASB reactors. Water Res 25:21–27
Grotenhuis JTC, Smit M, Plugge CM, Xu Y, Lammeren AAM van, Stams AJM, Zehnder AJB (1991) Bacteriological composition and structure of granular sludge adapted to different substrates. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:1942–1949
Guiot SR, Berg L van den (1985) Performance of an upflow anaerobic reactor combining a sludge blanked and a filter treating sugar waste. Biotechnol Bioeng 27:800–806
Hulshoff Po LW (1989) The phenomenon of granulation of anaerobic sludge. Ph. D. dissertation, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Hulshoff Pol LW, Zeeuw JW de, Velzeboer CTM, Lettinga G (1983) Granulation in UASB reactor. Water Sci Technol 15:291–304
Lettinga G, Hulshoff Pol LW, Koster IW, Wiegant WM, Zeeuw WJ de, Rinzema A, Grin DC, Roersma RE, Hobma SW (1984) High-rate anaerobic wastewater treatment using the UASB reactor under a wide range of temperature conditions. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2:253–284
MacLoed FA, Guiot SR, Costerton JW (1990) Layered structure of bacterial aggregates produced in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed and filter reactor. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:1598–1607
Sierra-Alvarez R, Hulshoff Pol LW, Lettinga G (1988) Start-up of a UASB reactor on a carbohydrate substrate. In: Lettinga G, Zehnder AJB, Grotenhuis JTC, Hulshoff Pol LW (eds) Granular anaerobic sludge; microbiology and technology. Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp 223–228
Thiele J, Wu WM, Jain MK, Zeikus JG (1990) Ecoengineering high rate anaerobic digestion systems: analysis of improved synthropic biomethanation catalysts. Biotechnol Bioeng 35:990–999
Wiegant WM, Man AWA de (1986) Granulation of biomass in thermophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors treating acidified wastewaters. Biotechnol Bioeng 28:718–727
Wu WM, Hu JC, Gu XS (1985) Properties of granular sludge in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and its formation. In: China State Biogas Association (eds) Anaerobic Digestion 1985. Guangzhou, China, pp 339–354
Wu WM, Hu JC, Gu XS, Zhao YZ, Zhang H, Gu GG (1987) Cultivation of anaerobic granular sludge in UASB reactors with aerobic activated sludge as seed. Water Res 21:789–799
Wu WM, Hickey RF, Zeikus JG (1991) Characterization of metabolic performance of methanogenic granules treating brewery wastewater: role of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:3438–3449
Wu WM, Jain MK, Conway de Macario E, Thiele JH, Zeikus JG (1992) Microbial composition and characterization of prevalent methanogens and acetogens isolated from syntrophic methanogenic granules. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 38:282–290
Zeeuw WJ de (1984) Acclimatization of anaerobic sludge for UASB-reactor start-up. Ph. D. Thesis, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Zeeuw WJ de (1988) Granular sludge in UASB-reactors. In: Lettinga G, Zehnder AJB, Grotenhuis JTC, Hulshoff Pol LW (eds) Granular anaerobic sludge; microbiology and technology. Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp 132–145
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to: J. G. Zeikus
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wu, WM., Thiele, J.H., Jain, M.K. et al. Comparison of rod- versus filament-type methanogenic granules: microbial population and reactor performance. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 39, 795–803 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164469
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164469