Effect of micro-aeration on syntrophic and methanogenic activity in anaerobic sludge

Micro-aeration was shown to improve anaerobic digestion (AD) processes, although oxygen is known to inhibit obligate anaerobes, such as syntrophic communities of bacteria and methanogens. The effect of micro-aeration on the activity and microbial interaction in syntrophic communities, as well as on the potential establishment of synergetic relationships with facultative anaerobic bacteria (FAB) or aerobic bacteria (AB), was investigated. Anaerobic sludge was incubated with ethanol and increasing oxygen concentrations (0–5% in the headspace). Assays with acetate or H 2 /CO 2 (direct substrates for methanogens) were also performed. When compared with the controls (0% O 2 ), oxygen significantly decreased substrate consumption and initial methane production rate (MPR) from acetate or H 2 /CO 2 . At 0.5% O 2 , MPR from these substrates was inhibited 30–40%, and close to 100% at 5% O 2 . With ethanol, significant inhibition (>36%) was only observed for oxygen concentrations higher than 2.5%. Oxygen was consumed in the assays, pointing to the stimulation of AB/FAB by ethanol, which helped to protect the syntrophic consortia under micro-aerobic conditions. This highlights the importance of AB/FAB in maintaining functional and resilient syntrophic communities, which is relevant for real AD systems (in which vestigial O 2 amounts are frequently present), as well as for AD systems using micro-aeration as a process strategy. Key points • Micro-aeration impacts syntrophic communities of bacteria and methanogens. • Oxygen stimulates AB/FAB, maintaining functional and resilient consortia. • Micro-aeration studies are critical for systems using micro-aeration as a process strategy.