Open AccessCombined monitoring of changes in δ 13 CH 4 and archaeal community structure during mesophilic methanization of municipal solid waste
Author(s) -
Qu Xian,
Mazéas Laurent,
Vavilin Vasily A.,
Epissard Jonathan,
Lemunier Mélanie,
Mouchel JeanMarie,
He Pinjing,
Bouchez Théodore
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2009.00661.x
Subject(s) - biology , mesophile , municipal solid waste , ecology , bacteria , genetics
Reconstituted municipal solid waste (MSW) with varying contents of putrescible and cellulosic waste was incubated anaerobically under mesophilic conditions. Standard physicochemical parameters were monitored, together with stable isotopic signatures of produced CH 4 and CO 2 . δ 13 C values for CH 4 indicated a change of methanogenic metabolism with time. CH 4 was predominantly produced from H 2 /CO 2 at the beginning of the incubations. This period was associated with important shifts in archaeal communities monitored by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and FISH of oligonucleotidic probes targeting specifically 16S rRNA gene of various methanogenic groups. The onset of the active methane generation phase was characterized by an increase of CH 4 δ 13 C, indicating a progressive shift toward an aceticlastic metabolism. When the methane production levelled off, a decrease in the isotopic signature was observed toward values characteristics of hydrogenotrophic metabolism. ARISA profiles were, however, found to be stable from the beginning of the active methane generation phase until the end of the experiment. FISH observation indicated that members of the family Methanosarcinaceae were predominant in the archaeal community during this period, suggesting that these methanogens might exhibit a high metabolic versatility during methanization of waste.