Presenter Information

Anna Doloman, Utah State University

Class

Article

College

College of Engineering

Department

Biological Engineering Department

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass cannot be achieved without specialized hydrolytic microorganisms. Potentially algalytic bacteria belonging to Citrobacter and Alcaligenes species were isolated from a wastewater lagoon system. A combination of two potentially algalytic bacteria was successfully incorporated into the granular anaerobic consortia. A series of anaerobic cultures were prepared with different microbial combinations to test the methane production from algal biomass collected from a local wastewater treating trickling filter. The anaerobic microbial community mixed with two algalytic bacteria produced 10% more methane when compared to the methane produced by a native granular consortium. The presence of the algalytic bacteria of interest was confirmed by PCR using bacteria specific primers at the conclusion of the study. A computer-simulated model was designed to prove the possibility of incorporating algalytic bacteria into a mature methane-producing granule. Future research will address the anaerobic degradation potential of the modified granular consortia on other types of the microalgal biomass.

Location

Room 155

Start Date

4-10-2019 1:30 PM

End Date

4-10-2019 2:45 PM

Included in

Engineering Commons

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Apr 10th, 1:30 PM Apr 10th, 2:45 PM

Augmenting Anaerobic Digestion of Microalgal Biomass

Room 155

Anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass cannot be achieved without specialized hydrolytic microorganisms. Potentially algalytic bacteria belonging to Citrobacter and Alcaligenes species were isolated from a wastewater lagoon system. A combination of two potentially algalytic bacteria was successfully incorporated into the granular anaerobic consortia. A series of anaerobic cultures were prepared with different microbial combinations to test the methane production from algal biomass collected from a local wastewater treating trickling filter. The anaerobic microbial community mixed with two algalytic bacteria produced 10% more methane when compared to the methane produced by a native granular consortium. The presence of the algalytic bacteria of interest was confirmed by PCR using bacteria specific primers at the conclusion of the study. A computer-simulated model was designed to prove the possibility of incorporating algalytic bacteria into a mature methane-producing granule. Future research will address the anaerobic degradation potential of the modified granular consortia on other types of the microalgal biomass.