Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes reveals a unique microbial community in three anaerobic sludge digesters of Dubai

Abstract

Understanding the microbial communities in anaerobic digesters, especially bacteria and archaea, is key to its better operation and regulation. Microbial communities in the anaerobic digesters of the Gulf region where climatic conditions and other factors may impact the incoming feed are not documented. Therefore, Archaeal and Bacterial communities of three full-scale anaerobic digesters, namely AD1, AD3, and AD5 of the Jebel Ali Sewage water Treatment Plant (JASTP) were analyzed by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Among bacteria, the most abundant genus was fermentative bacteria Acetobacteroides (Blvii28). Other predominant bacterial genera in the digesters included thermophilic bacteria (Fervidobacterium and Coprothermobacter) and halophilic bacteria like Haloterrigena and Sediminibacter. This can be correlated with the climatic condition in Dubai, where the bacteria in the incoming feed may be thermophilic or halophilic as much of the water used in the country is desalinated seawater. The predominant Archaea include mainly the members of the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota belonging to the genus Methanocorpusculum, Metallosphaera, Methanocella, and Methanococcus. The highest population of Methanocorpusculum (more than 50% of total Archaea), and other hydrogenotrophic archaea, is in agreement with the high population of bacterial genera Acetobacteroides (Blvii28) and Fervidobacterium, capable of fermenting organic substrates into acetate and H2. Coprothermobacter, which is known to improve protein degradation by establishing syntrophy with hydrogenotrophic archaea, is also one of the digesters’ dominant genera. The results suggest that the microbial community in three full-scale anaerobic digesters is different. To best of our knowledge this is the first detailed report from the UAE.

Indigenously produced biochar retains fertility in sandy soil through unique microbial diversity sustenance: a step toward the circular economy

“…Our previous study on Saudi soil and wastewater of the gulf indicates some important facts (Khan and Khan, 2020 ; Khan et al, 2021 ). One is the presence of a significant population of marine bacteria, which may be due to the widespread use of desalinated seawater in this region.…”

“…These amplicons were checked on 1% agarose gel. To generate a V3-V4 amplicon (~460 bp), the PCR products as obtained above and a set of V3-V4 forward and reverse primers were used as described in our previous study (Khan et al, 2021 ). The non-specific fragments were removed using an AMPure XP beads kit (Beckman Coulter, CA, USA, Cat# A63882).…”

Comparison of Thermophilic–Mesophilic and Mesophilic–Thermophilic Two-Phase High-Solid Sludge Anaerobic Digestion at Different Inoculation Proportions: Digestion Performance and Microbial Diversity

“…Coprothermobacter has strong activity at thermophilic temperatures, and it can cooperate with hydrotropic methanogenic bacteria to degrade organic pollutants [47]. Coprothermobacter and Methothermobacter can act synergistically to degrade organic matter [48][49][50]. On the 27th day, the bacteria communities of M-T0, M-T5, M-T10, M-T15, and M-T20 were more diverse than that of T-M0, T-M5, T-M10, T-M15, and T-M20.…”

Combusted-diesel additives containing CeO2 nanomaterials shape methanogenic pathways during sludge digestion and enhance biogas production

“…† In control AD, hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales and acetoclastic Methanosarcinales were enriched, together with H 2 -consuming acetogenic bacteria (Treponema genus and taxa within the Lachnospiraceae family). 73 LEfSe highlighted that comb-CeO 2 increased the abundance in: (i) Bacteroidetes phyla, associated with high hydrolytic activity 74 which is in line with the high lipase and α-glucosidase activities measured in comb-CeO 2 contaminated-AD, (ii) hydrogenotrophic methanogen archaea within the Methanomicrobiale order (e.g. Methanoculleus, Methanobacterium), 17 It is noteworthy that mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic consortia were drastically inhibited (up to 90%) at these concentrations.…”