Insights into the microbial community structure of anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste landfill leachate for methane production by adaptive thermophilic granular sludge

BACKGROUND: The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) gradually increased along with the rapid development of modern cities. A large amount of landfill leachate are generated with excessive chemical oxygen demand (COD), which create a great deal of pressure on the environment-friendly treatment process. Anaerobic digestion is an ideal technique to solve the above problem. RESULTS: A thermophilic granular sludge was successfully adapted for anaerobic digestion of MSW leachate (from an aging large-scale landfill) for methane production. The COD degradation efficiency improved by 81.8%, while the methane production rate reached 117.3 mL CH4/(g VS d), which was 2.34-fold more than the control condition. The bacterial and archaeal communities involved in the process were revealed by 16S rRNA gene high-throughput pyrosequencing. The richness of the bacterial community decreased in the process of thermophilic granular sludge, while the archaeal community structure presented a reverse phenomenon. The bacterial genus, Methanosaeta was the most abundant during the mesophilic process, while Methanobacterium, Methanoculleus, Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina were more evenly distributed. The more balanced community distribution between hydrogenotrophic and acetotrophic methanogens implied a closer interaction between the microbes, which further contributed to higher methane productivity. The detailed relationship between the key functional communities and anaerobic digestion performances were demonstrated via the multivariate canonical correspondence analysis. Conclusions: With the assistance of adaptive thermophilic granular sludge, microbial community structure was more evenly distributed, while both of COD degradation rate and methane production was improved during anaerobic digestion of MSW landfill leachate.

Detection of cfxA2, cfxA3, and cfxA6 genes in beta-lactamase producing oral anaerobes

ABSTRACT Purpose The aim of this study was to identify β-lactamase-producing oral anaerobic bacteria and screen them for the presence of cfxA and BlaTEM genes that are responsible for β-lactamase production and resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. Material and Methods Periodontal pocket debris samples were collected from 48 patients with chronic periodontitis and anaerobically cultured on blood agar plates with and without β-lactam antibiotics. Presumptive β-lactamase-producing isolates were evaluated for definite β-lactamase production using the nitrocefin slide method and identified using the API Rapid 32A system. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed using disc diffusion and microbroth dilution tests as described by CLSI Methods. Isolates were screened for the presence of the β-lactamase-TEM (BlaTEM) and β-lactamase-cfxA genes using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Amplified PCR products were sequenced and the cfxA gene was characterized using Genbank databases. Results Seventy five percent of patients carried two species of β-lactamase-producing anaerobic bacteria that comprised 9.4% of the total number of cultivable bacteria. Fifty one percent of β-lactamase-producing strains mainly Prevotella, Porphyromonas, and Bacteroides carried the cfxA gene, whereas none of them carried blaTEM. Further characterization of the cfxA gene showed that 76.7% of these strains carried the cfxA2 gene, 14% carried cfxA3, and 9.3% carried cfxA6. The cfxA6 gene was present in three Prevotella spp. and in one Porphyromonas spp. Strains containing cfxA genes (56%) were resistant to the β-lactam antibiotics. Conclusion This study indicates that there is a high prevalence of the cfxA gene in β-lactamase-producing anaerobic oral bacteria, which may lead to drug resistance and treatment failure.

Búsqueda intencionada y reclasificación de muertes maternas en México: el efecto en la distribución de las causas / Intentional search and reclassification of maternal deaths in Mexico: The effect on the distribution of causes

Objetivo. Corregir la mala clasificación y mejorar la calidad de la información sobre la mortalidad materna en México. Material y métodos. A través de los registros clínicos y autopsias verbales, se estudiaron todas las defunciones certificadas como maternas y una selección de defunciones de mujeres en edad fértil, cuyas causas fueron consideradas como sospechosas de encubrir una muerte materna; todas ocurridas durante 2011 en México. Resultados. La búsqueda intencionada y reclasificación de muertes maternas permitió rescatar más de 100 muertes que no habían sido registradas ni codificadas inicialmente como maternas y se ratificaron o rectificaron las causas anotadas en los certificados de defunción. Este procedimiento también permitió reclasificar como muertes maternas 297 defunciones de la base preliminar del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía. Conclusiones. La Búsqueda Intencionada y Reclasificación de Muertes Maternas es un procedimiento muy útil para mejorar la calidad de la información sobre la mortalidad materna.

Objective. To correct the misclassification and improve the quality of information on maternal mortality in Mexico. Materials and methods. Using clinical records and verbal autopsies, we studied all deaths certified as maternal deaths as well as a selection of deaths of women of childbearing age whose causes were considered as suspected of hiding a maternal death, all of which occurred during 2011 within Mexico. Results. The deliberate search of maternal deaths and reclassification allowed the rescue of just over 100 deaths that were not originally registered or coded as maternal and confirmed or corrected the causes of death recorded on death certificates as confirmed maternal deaths. This procedure also allowed the reclassification of 297 maternal deaths of women in the groundwork of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography. Conclusions. International Search and Reclassification of Maternal Deaths is a very useful procedure for improving the classification of cases that were not classified as maternal deaths and the effect was greater with the coding of indirect obstetric deaths.

Reducing of excess sludge production in wastewater treatment using combined anaerobic/aerobic submerged biological filters

In this research, possibility of reducing excess sludge production in wastewater treatment was investigated using a combined anaerobic and aerobic submerged biological filter in a pilot scale. The physical model designed, erected and operated consisted of two pipes of PVC type with 147mm and 237mm diameter used as aerobic and anaerobic filters, respectively. The effective height of porous media in these filters was 70cm. Two filters were connected to eachother in a series form and the resulted system was loaded using synthetic wastewater based on sucrose in the range of 1.91 to 30.61 kg/m[3] for anaerobic filter and 1.133 to 53.017 kg/m[3] for aerobic filter. For similar loadings, the aerobic filter showed efficiency of 1.8 times that of anaerobic filter in removal of soluble COD. Return of 100% flow from the aerobic filter to the anaerobic filter for 30kg/m[3].d of organic loading increased the efficiencies of the anaerobic filter, the aerobic filter and the combined system as 17%, 14% and 15%, respectively and the effect of the return of the flow was more pronounced in smaller hydraulic retention times and larger loadings. 100% return of the flow reduced the yield coefficient for the whole system to 0.037 for 53 kg/m[3] loading which is a suitable value with regard to the scheme and no use of chemical materials such as chlorine and ozone. This coefficient reached a value as small as 0.007 in common loadings [7.5kg/m[3] for 100% return of the flow which is very close to zero. So, this method could be considered as a complete biological treatment with low excess sludge and could be assessed in full scale

[Neural network modeling and prediction of methane fraction in biogas from landfill bioreactors]

A number of different technologies have recently been studied to determine the best use of biogas, however, to choose optimize technologies of using biogas for energy recovery it is necessary to monitor and predict the methane percentage of biogas. In this study, a method is proposed for predicting the methane fraction in landfill gas originating from Labscale landfill bioreactors, based on neural network. In this study, two different systems were applied, to predict the methane fraction in landfill gas as a final product of anaerobic digestion, we used the leachate specifications as input parameters. In system I [C1], the leachate generated from a fresh-waste reactor was drained to recirculation tank, and recycled. In System II [C2], the leachate generated from a fresh waste landfill reactor was fed through a well-decomposed refuse landfill reactor, and at the same time, the leachate generated from a well-decomposed refuse landfill reactor recycled to a fresh waste landfill reactor. There is very good agreement in the trends between forecasted and measured data. R values are 0.999 and 0.997, and the obtained Root mean square error values are 1.098 and 2.387 for training and test data, respectively The proposed method can significantly predict the methane fraction in landfill gas originating and, consequently, neural network can be use to optimize the dimensions of a plant using biogas for energy [i.e. heat and/or electricity] recovery and monitoring system

Treatment of spent wash in anaerobic thermophilic suspended growth reactor (ATSGR).

Pollution through spent wash is a major problem in India. There is an urgent need to develop wastewater treatment technologies for safer disposal. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to examine a few aspects of thermophilic anaerobic digestion of spent wash collected from a distillery. The study was carried out in a 4 liter laboratory scale anaerobic thermophilic suspended growth reactor After the successful startup, the organic loading was increased stepwise to assess the performance of the reactor. During the study period, biogas generated was recorded and the maximum gas generated was found to be 11.9 liter at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 29 g COD/l. A 500% increase in the volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration (1850 mg/l) was observed, when the OLR was increased from 29 to 30 g COD/l. During the souring phase the removal of COD, total solids (TS) and volatile solids (VS) were in the order of 52%, 40% and 46% respectively The methane content in the biogas varied from 65% to 75%.

Performance evaluation of an anaerobic baffled reactor treating wheat flour starch industry wastewater

Feasibility of the anaerobic baffled reactor process was investigated for the treatment of wheat flour starch wastewater. After removal of suspended solids by simple gravity settling, starch wastewater was used as a feed. Start-up of a reactor [with a volume of 13.5 L and five compartments] with diluted feed of approximately 4500 mg/L chemical oxygen demand was accomplished in about 9 weeks using seed sludge from anaerobic digester of municipal wastewater treatment plant. The reactor with hydraulic retention time of 72h at 35°C and initial organic loading rate of 1.2 kgCOD/m3.d showed 61% COD removal efficiency. The best performance of reactor was observed with an organic loading rate of 2.5 kgCOD/m3.d or hydraulic retention time of 2.45 d and the COD conversion of 67% was achieved. The system also showed very high solids retention with effluent suspended solids concentration of about 50 mg/L for most organic and hydraulic loadings studied. Based on these observations, the ABR process has potential to treat food industrial wastewater as a pretreatment and is applicable for extreme environmental conditions

Colour removal from textile waste water using bioculture in continous mode.

One of the environmental problems being faced by textile industry is the removal of colour from the dye wastewater prior to discharge to local sewage treatment facilities or adjoining water courses. During the past two decades, several physico-chemical methods like adsorption, chemical treatment and ion pair extractions were adopted and have been proved to be costly and less effective. Biological treatment methods are comparatively cheap and considered to be the best alternative with proper analysis and environmental control. With this in mind, an attempt was made to evaluate efficiency with mixed microbial cultures for the decolourisation of the dye wastewater in continuous mode operation. Laboratory scale models of anaerobic reactor, activated sludge process and sand filter were fabricated and operated in series. The activated bioclean was inoculated in the anaerobic reactor. The characteristics and treatability of the textile dye wastewater were analysed. The sample taken for the study was combined effluent collected from the equalization tank in Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), Tirupur. The experiments were conducted for different organic loading rates. Parameters such as colour, pH, COD, BOD, suspended solids, total dissolved solids, chlorides and sulphates for both the influent and effluent were evaluated. The removal efficiency of the anaerobic process, activated sludge process and sand filter for the above said parameters were studied.

Isolation and characterization of a new osmotolerant, non-virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strain SAP for biosynthesis of succinic acid.

In the present study, isolation of anaerobic bacteria from 24 different eco-niches was carried out. A total number of 300 bacterial isolates, including 230 obligate and 70 facultative anaerobes were obtained using anaerobic techniques. All the isolates were initially screened for succinic acid production by Fluorescein test and TLC method. During screening, 10 isolates found to produce succinic acid were further examined by HPLC and then finally confirmed for succinic acid by LC-MS analysis. Amongst 10 isolates, isolate SAP, a facultative anaerobe isolated from buffalo rumen fluid, showed maximum yield of 2.1 g/l of succinic acid from 10 g of glucose in 24 hr under anaerobic condition. This isolate was identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae strain SAP by 16S rDNA sequence and signature sequence analysis. Mouse lethality test for the strain SAP showed LD50 value of 3.3 x 10(8) CFU/ml, which shows non-virulent nature of the strain. This strain may become a candidate strain for succinic acid production because of its osmotolerant nature and higher succinate:acetate ratio.

Impact of Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) on biogassification of potato waste.

A study was conducted on anaerobic digestion of potato waste and cattle manure mixture, inoculated with 12% inoculum and diluted to 1:1 substrate water ratio at 37 +/- 1 degrees C. Initially pH of substrate was found to be 4.5 to 5.0. Lime and sodium bicarbonate solutions were employed to adjust the pH to 7.5. Biogas production continued up to 10 and 7 days, when lime and sodium bicarbonate solutions were used to adjust the pH, respectively. Biogassification potential was studied in response to different ratio of waste and cattle manure. Biogas production rate was higher when potato waste and cattle manure were used in 50:50 ratio. Effect of two different concentrations (2.5 and 5.0 ppm) of three heavy metals viz. (Ni (II), Zn (II) and Cd (II)) on anaerobic digestion of substrate (potato waste--cattle manure, 50:50) was studied. At 2.5 ppm, all the three heavy metals increased biogas production rate over the control value. The percentage increase in biogas production over the control was highest by Cd, followed by Ni and Zn. In all the treatments, methane content of biogas increased with increase in time after feeding. Various physico-chemical parameters viz. total solids, total volatile solids, total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand considerably declined after 7 days of digestion and decline was greater in presence of heavy metals as compared to control. The physico-chemical parameters revealed maximum decrease in the presence of 2.5-ppm concentrations of heavy metals with the substrate. Among all the three heavy metals employed in the study, Cd++ at 2.5 ppm was found to produce maximum biogas production rate. The use of three heavy metals to enhance biogas production from potato and other horticultural waste is discussed.

Methanogenic activity test as an aid in evaluating performance and stability of anaerobic bioreactors.

The correlation between methanogenic activity and anaerobic reactor performance is intuitive. In this paper, an attempt has been made to suggest a new parameter, defined on the basis of the relative activity of acetoclastic and hydrogen oxidising methanogens, to aid in evaluating the performance and stability of anaerobic reactors. Performance of three bench scale reactors was assessed at different relative populations of the trophic groups of methanogens as estimated through acetoclastic and total methanogenic activity tests. Results indicated that the acetoclastic to total methanogenic activity ratio 0.7 yielded stable and optimal reactor performance. The acetoclastic and total methanogenic activity tests provide a simple technique that may aid in evaluating the performance and stability of anaerobic bioreactors.

Avaliaçäo da concentraçäo inibitória mínima da ceftriaxona e de aminoglicosídeos em enterobactérias em condiçöes aeróbicas e anaeróbicas / Evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentration of ceftriaxone and aminoglycosides against enterobacteria under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Alguns trabalhos têm demonstrado que os aminoglicosídeos apresentam uma reduçäo in vitro de sua atividade frente às enterobactérias e ao S. aureus em meios anaeróbicos. O objetivo do estudo foi o de comprovar a atividade da ceftriaxona, netilmicina e gentamicina em 30 cepas de enterobactérias isoladas de infecçöes intra e extra-hospitalares, em condiçöes de anaerobiose e aerobiose. O método para a determinaçäo da MIC foi o da diluiçäo. Os resultados demonstram que a netilmicina e gentamicina perdem (em algumas cepas) a sua atividade em condiçöes de anaerobiose, o mesmo näo ocorrendo com a ceftriaxona. Esses achados sugerem que a ceftriaxona deve ser o antibiótico de eleiçäo, nas infecçöes causadas por enterobactérias onde se suspeite de baixos níveis de oxigênio