Insights into the biological process performance and microbial diversity during thermophilic microalgae co-digestion in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR)

Harvested microalgae Chlorella spp. and primary sludge were co-digested in a laboratory-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) under thermophilic conditions (55 °C). The system was run for 700 days divided into four experimental phases to determine the influence of the organic loading rate on the process performance and the microbial community. The rise in organic loading rate from 0.17 to 0.5 gCOD·L−1·d−1 led to a 35% improvement in methane production. The system reached 69% biodegradability working at 0.5 gCOD·L−1·d−1 and a high solids retention time (70 d), indicating the efficient conversion of biomass into biogas through the AnMBR configuration while avoiding possible inhibition by free ammonia. The thermophilic AnMBR provided a stable microbial community dominated by hydrolytic and fermenter members such as Coprothermobacter, Fervidobacterium and Hydrothermae. Syntrophic oxidisers such as W5 were also key in propionate degradation and produced intermediates for later conversion into methane.