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. 1986 Mar;51(3):572–579. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.3.572-579.1986

Sulfate Reduction Relative to Methane Production in High-Rate Anaerobic Digestion: Technical Aspects

Zaid Isa 1, Stéphane Grusenmeyer 1, Willy Verstraete 1,*
PMCID: PMC238921  PMID: 16347018

Abstract

The effect of different substrates and different levels of sulfate and sulfide on methane production relative to sulfate reduction in high-rate anaerobic digestion was evaluated. Reactors could be acclimated so that sulfate up to a concentration of 5 g of sulfate S per liter did not significantly affect methanogenesis. Higher levels gave inhibition because of salt toxicity. Sulfate reduction was optimal at a relatively low level of sulfate, i.e., 0.5 g of sulfate S per liter, but was also not significantly affected by higher levels. Both acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methane-producing bacteria adapted to much higher levels of free H2S than the values reported in the literature (50% inhibition occurred only at free H2S levels of more than 1,000 mg/liter). High levels of free H2S affected the sulfate-reducing bacteria only slightly. Formate and acetate supported the sulfate-reducing bacteria very poorly. In the high-rate reactors studied, intensive H2S formation occurred only when H2 gas or an H2 precursor such as ethanol was supplied.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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