NetFuels Project: Comparative analysis of microbial community structure during two operational phases in a bioelectrochemical methanation stack
The transition between two operational phases in a bioelectrochemical methanation system led to pronounced changes in microbial community structure and function. Phase I was characterized by high salinity and alkaline conditions, under which the community showed limited functional coupling with methanogenesis. In contrast, Phase II, operated under optimized conditions, promoted the establishment of a more specialized and functionally integrated consortium. This shift was associated with enhanced methane production and increased abundance of key methanogenic functional genes, indicating improved metabolic coordination. Correlation analyses suggest the emergence of cooperative interactions involving electroactive microorganisms facilitating electron transfer, acetogenic populations supplying intermediates, and methanogens efficiently converting these substrates into methane. These findings demonstrate that microbial community structure is strongly linked to operating conditions and plays a critical role in system performance, highlighting its importance as a design and optimization parameter in bioelectrochemical methanation processes.
The transition between two operational phases in a bioelectrochemical methanation system led to pronounced changes in microbial community structure and function. Phase I was characterized by high salinity and alkaline conditions, under which the community showed limited functional coupling with methanogenesis. In contrast, Phase II, operated under optimized conditions, promoted the establishment of a more specialized and functionally integrated consortium. This shift was associated with enhanced methane production and increased abundance of key methanogenic functional genes, indicating improved metabolic coordination. Correlation analyses suggest the emergence of cooperative interactions involving electroactive microorganisms facilitating electron transfer, acetogenic populations supplying intermediates, and methanogens efficiently converting these substrates into methane. These findings demonstrate that microbial community structure is strongly linked to operating conditions and plays a critical role in system performance, highlighting its importance as a design and optimization parameter in bioelectrochemical methanation processes.
leitat technological center