Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a microbiologically coordinated process with dynamic relationships between bacterial players. Current\nunderstanding of dynamic changes in the bacterial composition during the AD process is incomplete.The objective of this research\nwas to assess changes in bacterial community composition that coordinates with anaerobic codigestion of microalgal biomass\ncultivated on municipal wastewater. An upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor was used to achieve high rates of microalgae\ndecomposition and biogas production. Samples of the sludge were collected throughout AD and extracted DNA was subjected to\nnext-generation sequencing using methanogenmcrA gene specific and universal bacterial primers. Analysis of the data revealed that\nsamples taken at different stages of AD had varying bacterial composition. A group consisting of Bacteroidales, Pseudomonadales,\nand Enterobacteriales was identified to be putatively responsible for the hydrolysis of microalgal biomass. The methanogenesis\nphase was dominated by Methanosarcina mazei. Results of observed changes in the composition of microbial communities during\nAD can be used as a road map to stimulate key bacterial species identified at each phase of AD to increase yield of biogas and rate\nof substrate decomposition. This research demonstrates a successful exploitation of methane production from microalgae without\nany biomass pretreatment.
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