The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production
Oxygen is considered detrimental to anaerobic fermentation processes by many practitioners. However, deliberate oxygen sparging has been used successfully for decades to remove H<sub>2</sub>S in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems. Moreover, microaeration techniques during AD have shown tha...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Fermentation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/8/4/138 |
| _version_ | 1797434772854669312 |
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| author | Jose Antonio Magdalena Largus T. Angenent Joseph G. Usack |
| author_facet | Jose Antonio Magdalena Largus T. Angenent Joseph G. Usack |
| author_sort | Jose Antonio Magdalena |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oxygen is considered detrimental to anaerobic fermentation processes by many practitioners. However, deliberate oxygen sparging has been used successfully for decades to remove H<sub>2</sub>S in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems. Moreover, microaeration techniques during AD have shown that small doses of oxygen may enhance process performance and promote the in situ degradation of recalcitrant compounds. However, existing oxygen dosing techniques are imprecise, which has led to inconsistent results between studies. At the same time, real-time oxygen fluxes cannot be reliably quantified due to the complexity of most bioreactor systems. Thus, there is a pressing need for robust monitoring and process control in applications where oxygen serves as an operating parameter or an experimental variable. This review summarizes and evaluates the available methodologies for oxygen measurement and dosing as they pertain to anaerobic microbiomes. The historical use of (micro-)aeration in anaerobic digestion and its potential role in other anaerobic fermentation processes are critiqued in detail. This critique also provides insights into the effects of oxygen on these microbiomes. Our assessment suggests that oxygen dosing, when implemented in a controlled and quantifiable manner, could serve as an effective tool for bioprocess engineers to further manipulate anaerobic microbiomes for either bioenergy or biochemical production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:38:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4f4730146de45328453ab9f664f5dab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-5637 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:38:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fermentation |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4f4730146de45328453ab9f664f5dab2023-12-01T20:51:44ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372022-03-018413810.3390/fermentation8040138The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate ProductionJose Antonio Magdalena0Largus T. Angenent1Joseph G. Usack2Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyCenter for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyCenter for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyOxygen is considered detrimental to anaerobic fermentation processes by many practitioners. However, deliberate oxygen sparging has been used successfully for decades to remove H<sub>2</sub>S in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems. Moreover, microaeration techniques during AD have shown that small doses of oxygen may enhance process performance and promote the in situ degradation of recalcitrant compounds. However, existing oxygen dosing techniques are imprecise, which has led to inconsistent results between studies. At the same time, real-time oxygen fluxes cannot be reliably quantified due to the complexity of most bioreactor systems. Thus, there is a pressing need for robust monitoring and process control in applications where oxygen serves as an operating parameter or an experimental variable. This review summarizes and evaluates the available methodologies for oxygen measurement and dosing as they pertain to anaerobic microbiomes. The historical use of (micro-)aeration in anaerobic digestion and its potential role in other anaerobic fermentation processes are critiqued in detail. This critique also provides insights into the effects of oxygen on these microbiomes. Our assessment suggests that oxygen dosing, when implemented in a controlled and quantifiable manner, could serve as an effective tool for bioprocess engineers to further manipulate anaerobic microbiomes for either bioenergy or biochemical production.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/8/4/138anaerobic digestionchain elongationcarboxylic acidsmethanemicroaerationmicrobiome |
| spellingShingle | Jose Antonio Magdalena Largus T. Angenent Joseph G. Usack The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production Fermentation anaerobic digestion chain elongation carboxylic acids methane microaeration microbiome |
| title | The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production |
| title_full | The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production |
| title_fullStr | The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production |
| title_short | The Measurement, Application, and Effect of Oxygen in Microbial Fermentations: Focusing on Methane and Carboxylate Production |
| title_sort | measurement application and effect of oxygen in microbial fermentations focusing on methane and carboxylate production |
| topic | anaerobic digestion chain elongation carboxylic acids methane microaeration microbiome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/8/4/138 |
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