Several operational and environmental conditions can result in poor biogas yield during the operation of anaerobic digesters and anaerobic bioreactor landfills. Over time, anaerobic co-digestion and leachate blending have been identified as strategies that can help address some of these challenges to improve biogas production. While co-digestion entails the co-treatment of multiple substrates, leachate blending involves combination of mature and young landfill leachate. Despite the benefits attributed to these strategies, their impact on recirculating bioreactor landfill scenarios and anaerobic digesters requires further investigation. In the first phase of this thesis, an attempt to assess biogas production improvement from organic fraction of municipal solid waste in simulated bioreactor landfills through recirculation of blended landfill leachate was conducted. Real old and new leachate blends (67%New leachate:33%Old leachate, 33%New leachate:67%Old leachate) as well as 100%New and 100%Old leachate were recirculated through six laboratory-scale bioreactors using open-loop and closed-loops modes. Compared with the control bioreactor where 100% new leachate was recirculated and operated as a closed-loop, cumulative biogas production was improved by as much as 77 to 193% when a leachate blend of 33%New:67%Old was recirculated. Furthermore, comparison of the results from open-loop and closed-loop operated bioreactors indicated that there was approximately 28 to 65% more biogas in open-loop bioreactors. The Gompertz model applied to the methane data produced a better fit (R2 > 0.99) than first order and logistic function models. Leachate blending reduced the lag phase by almost half and thus helps in alleviating the ensiling during the start-up phase. In the second phase, a biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay was conducted to investigate the synergistic effect of percentage sewage scum addition; 10%, 20% and 40% (volatile solids basis) on biogas production during mesophilic co-digestion with various organic substrates viz; organic fraction of municipal solid waste, old leachate, new leachate and a leachate blend prepared from 67%old leachate and 33%new leachate under sub-optimal condition. Results show that the net cumulative bio-methane yield was improved with increased sewage scum percentage during co-digestion because of positive synergism. Meanwhile, the addition of 40% sewage scum to the individual co-substrates improved net cumulative bio-methane yield by 28% - 67% when compared to their respective mono-substrate digestion bio-methane yield. Furthermore, reactors containing leachate blends consistently produced more biogas over other sets because of blending. Kinetic modelling applied to the bio-methane production data shows modified Gompertz equation achieved a better fit with up to an R2 value of 0.999. Finally, co-digestion substantially reduced the lag time encountered during mono-digestion. In the last phase, the biomethane potential involved in the ACo-D of sewage scum, organic fraction of municipal solid waste was investigated in this phase using either thickened waste activated sludge or leachate blend (67%old leachate and 33%new leachate) as a tertiary component. Compared to the mono-digestion of TWAS, results shows that biomethane yield was enhanced in by as much as 32 - 127% in trinary mixtures with SS and OFMSW mainly due to the effect of positive synergism. Furthermore, LB addition improved biomethane production in trinary mixtures of SS:LB: OFMSW by 38% than in corresponding trinary mixtures of TWAS. Whereas an optimal combination of 40%SS:10%TWAS:50%OFMSW and 20%SS:70%LB:10%OFMSW produced the highest biogas yield of 407mL.gVS-1 and 487mL.gVS-1 respectively. The application of the first order model showed that lower hydrolysis rates promoted methanogenesis with k = 0.04day-1 in both 20%SS:70%LB:10%OFMSW and 20%SS:50%LB:30%OFMSW. Estimations by the modified Gompertz and logistic function were conclusive methane production rate improved by as much a 60% in a trinary mixture over the production rate during mono-digestion of TWAS alone. The results of the various experiments of this thesis therefore suggest that leachate blending can be used as a strategy to improve biogas production in both bioreactor landfills and anaerobic digesters. Also, sewage scum as an energy-rich substrate can be better utilized during co-digestion with other low-energy substrates.

The problem addressed in this study is whether physiologic, hematologic, and performance parameters obtained during and after a long term program of anaerobic and aerobic exercise can be used as markers of chronic fatigue.

The enigma of anaerobic sludge granulations is still exciting the minds of both experimental scientists and modeling experts. A unique combination of mechanical, physiochemical and biological forces influence granulation during processes of anaerobic digestion. However, knowledge of potential driving forces of granulation has not been transformed into a comprehensive model of anaerobic granulation. In this computational experiment, we address the role physiochemical and biological processes play in granulation and provide a literature-validated working model of anaerobic granule de novo formation. The model developed in a cDynoMiCs simulation environment successfully demonstrated a de novo granulation in a glucose fed system. The simulated granules exhibit experimental observations of radial stratification: A central dead core surrounded by methanogens then encased in acidogens. Practical applications of the granulation model was assessed on the anaerobic digestion of low-strength wastewater by measuring the changes in methane yield as model parameters were systematically swept. This model will be expanded in the future to investigate the influence of mechanical forces on the de novo granulation and the application of a model to anaerobic digestion of a complex protein-carbohydrate rich feedstock.

Anaerobic digestion has great potential as an energy source. Not only does it provide an effective method for waste mitigation, but it has the potential to generate significant quantities of fuel and electricity. In order to ensure efficient digestion and biomass utilization, however, the system must be continuously maintained at elevated temperatures. It is technically feasible to supplement such a system with outside energy, but it is more cost effective to heat the system using only the produced biogas. While there is considerable literature covering the theory of anaerobic digestion, there are very few practical studies to show how heat utilization affects system operation. This study considers the effect of major design variables (i.e. heat exchanger efficiencies and biogas conditioning) on promoting a completely self-sustaining digestion system. The thesis considers a real world system and analyzes how it can be improved to avoid the need of an external energy source.

The Western Dairy Center at Utah State University had recognized through traiing of cheesemaking that a challenge that can exist for farmstead and artisan cheese manufacturing operations is disposal or utilization of the whey that is produced when milk is converted into cheese. Land application of whey is limited and can cause odor problems which would be detrimental to a cheesemaking operation located at the rual-urban interface. The project provided information in support of a research grant from the Western Sustainable Agribulture Research and Education program that was investigating economics and feasiblity of using anaerobic digestion for treatment of whey and cow manure mixtures. We performed initial trials to determine the level of whey that could be mixed with manure and have satisfactory operation of the digester to produce methane and a biomass. A continuous digester was used to produce biomass material for microbiological and physical testing for its suitability for use as a renewable potting mix or soil conditioner. The benefits from this research are that we have shown how a value-added product can be made by converting whey and manure into a deodorized biomass that could replace the use of peat moss, which is a non-renewable resource. This can improve the economics of using a bioreactor for whey disposal.

A recently isolated freshwater methanogenium species, Methanogenium wolfei, is characterized. Cells were irregular cocci, measuring 1.5 to 2.0 micrometers in diameter. No motility was observed, but 1 to 2 flagella per cell were observed after staining with Gray's Flagella Stain. Colonies formed by this species were small, shiny, and green-brown in color. Formate or hydrogen plus carbon dioxide served as substrates for growth. The optimal temperature for growth was found to be 45 degrees centigrade with minimal growth below 30 degrees centigrade and above 55 degrees centigrade. The optimal pH for growth was determined to be 6.8. Optimal growth was obtained within a 0.0 to 0.2M range of added sodium chloride. Acetate and arginine were required for growth. DNA base composition was 61.1 mol%. G+C. The presence of coenzyme F-420 at a concentration of 134 mg/kg cells (wet weight) was determined in cell extracts. The enzyme NADP reductase was found to be present and was partially characterized.

Benzene (C 6H6) is the simplest member of the aromatic hydrocarbon group of chemical compounds. Minute amounts of benzene are naturally released into the environment during volcanic eruptions and forest fires. This extremely stable aromatic compound is also an important industrial chemical and is an integral component of many petroleum products. In fact, benzene is amongst the top 20 in production volume for chemicals produced in the United States. Therefore, it is not surprising that the major reason for environmental contamination through benzene is by anthropogenic sources. Benzene is relatively soluble in water and migrates very quickly in the soil after its entry. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified benzene as a Class A carcinogen. Microorganisms play an integral role in the natural attenuation of benzene from the environment. Biodegradation of benzene by oxidation can occur under aerobic, anaerobic and microaerophilic conditions. Biooxidation of benzene under aerobic conditions is well-studied. However, oxygen is scarce in contaminated subsurface environments, and after the aerobic breakdown of benzene, oxygen is quickly depleted from the most heavily contaminated regions leading to the development of extensive anaerobic zones. As a result, there is increased focus on anaerobic benzene degradation as a potential bioremediation technique in anoxic subsurface environments. In aerobic and microaerophilic environments, monooxygenase and dioxygenase enzyme systems have been established to be involved in the breakdown of the benzene ring. However, the genes and enzymes involved in anaerobic benzene oxidation pathway are still unknown. In the present study, Dechloromonas aromatica strain RCB, capable of benzene oxidation with nitrate as the electron acceptor, was used as a model system to investigate the initial steps of the anaerobic benzene oxidation pathway. Strain RCB is capable of completely mineralizing benzene to carbon dioxide in denitrifying conditions. RNA-arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (RAP-PCR), a differential gene expression technique used to randomly reverse-transcribe RNA into cDNA, was conducted to identify genes exclusively expressed during nitrate-dependent benzene oxidation. A total of seven genes were identified as differentially expressed in the presence of benzene using the RAP-PCR approach. Four differentially expressed genes were confirmed by a second method, semiquantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Microarray analysis was the second expression analysis technique conducted to identify genes expressed during benzene-oxidizing conditions. Based on fold induction and potential function, six genes were selected from the microarray data and their differential expression was confirmed by using semiquantitative RT-PCR. Interestingly, Daro1556, encoding a hypothetical protein, was identified by both RAP-PCR and microarray analysis. In order to verify the functions of the genes (selected from RAP-PCR and microarray analysis) in nitrate-dependent benzene oxidation, six deletion mutants were constructed in which the target gene was replaced by a tetracycline cassette. The correct insertion of the tetracycline cassette in the mutant genome was confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting. Microarray results were further analyzed by using an unsupervised clustering approach, k-means. A couple of genes (Daro1358 and Daro1359) obtained from cluster analysis were also verified by semiquantitative RT-PCR. These two genes, part of the same operon, encode a two-component monooxygenase system, which is a member of the Rieske non-heme iron aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenase family of proteins. In the present investigation, for the first time, involvement of a monooxygenase system (Daro1358 and Daro1359) during benzene oxidation with nitrate reduction was observed. Based on the results obtained from k-means cluster analysis, a model was hypothesized for anaerobic benzene oxidation with nitrate as the electron acceptor in Dechloromonas aromatica strain RCB.

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen responsible for the disease listeriosis. The infectious process depends upon survival in high bile salt conditions encountered throughout the gastrointestinal tract, including the gallbladder. However, it is not clear how bile salt resistance mechanisms are induced, especially under physiologically relevant conditions. This study sought to determine how L. monocytogenes responds to bile salts under anaerobic conditions. The study found resistance to be strain specific and not dependent upon virulence. Changes in the expressed proteome were analyzed using multidimensional protein identification technology coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A general response among virulent and avirulent strains found significant alterations in intensity of cell wall associated proteins, DNA repair proteins, protein folding chaperones and oxidative response proteins. Strain viability was correlated with an initial osmotic stress response followed by strain specific proteins associated with biofilm formation in EGDe and a transmembrane efflux pump in F2365.

There is growing interest in the use of high performance anaerobic digestion (AD) processes for the production of biogas at wastewater treatment facilities to offset the energy demands associated with wastewater treatment. Recuperative thickening (RT) is a promising technique which involves recycling a portion of the digested solids back to the incoming feed. In general there exists a significant number of knowledge gaps in the field of RT because the studies that have been conducted to date have almost exclusively occurred in pilot or full scale trials; this approach greatly limits the amount of process optimization that can be done in a given trial. In this work, a detailed and comprehensive study of RT processes was conducted at the lab scale; a demonstration of the optimization of polymer assisted dewatering is given and biogas production and quality monitored. Two custom designed digesters (capacity = 1.5 L) were operated in parallel with one acting as a ‘control’ digester and the other operating under a semi-batch RT mode; both digesters were also operated in parallel under RT with alternative polymer flocculants. There were no significant changes in the overall biogas methane composition; however the RT digester had an average biogas productivity over two times higher than the control one. It was found that the recycling of the polymer flocculant back into the RT digester resulted in a significant improvement in dewatering performance. At the highest polymer concentration tested, all polymer flocculants demonstrated equivalent dewatering performance achieving over 6 times lower CST’s than the control; at lower polymer concentrations the 4516 polymer flocculant had superior dewatering performance. Thus, there exists an opportunity to decrease the overall consumption of polymer flocculants through judicious selection of the flocculant and the dose that is used both for the thickening and end-stage dewatering processes in RT digesters. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / In wastewater treatment (WWT), solid wastes are treated using a technique called anaerobic digestion (AD) which involves the conversion of solids in biogas by anaerobic bacteria. Biogas is a mixture of mostly methane and carbon dioxide and can be used as a fuel source for energy production. There’s growing interest in the use of high performance AD processes for the production of biogas at WWT facilities to offset the energy demands associated with WWT. Recuperative thickening (RT) is a promising technique which involves recycling a portion of the digested solids back to the digester. In this work, a detailed and comprehensive study of RT processes was conducted at the lab scale; a demonstration of the optimization of polymer assisted dewatering is given and biogas production and quality monitored. Two 1.5 L custom designed digesters were operated in parallel one as a ‘control’ and the other operating under a semi-batch RT.

The use of exercise is crucial as a means of treatment for various psychological disorders. However, as more research is being done, there seems to be a lack of consensus as to which type of exercise is most effective, aerobic or anaerobic. 232 students participated in this study via Qualtrics, and were asked to participate in the study by answering 9 questionnaires: the Demographics Questionnaire, GAD7, Beck Depression Inventory, PCL5, QOLS, Exercise History and Attitudes Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Healthy Eating Assessment, and the RYFF Psychological Well-being Scales. The results found that a combination of aerobic, anaerobic, and healthy eating improved overall well-being and life satisfaction. These results indicate that while one's overall quality of life is improved through exercise, it is determinant for them to decide which exercise, aerobic or anaerobic, is most beneficial to them.