Summary
Sulphate in concentrations of 500 and 1000 mg SO4-S/l did not inhibit methanation of synthetic waste-water (acetate + methanol + glucose) by sludge from a digester treating neutral spent sulphite process effluents. The role of sulphate reducers in the conversion of those substrates was minor although sulphate-reducing bacteria were present with a viable count similar to that of methane-producing bacteria in the sludge. Neutral spent sulphite liquor was partially converted to methane (40% of chemical oxygen demand) under these conditions.
Molybdate (20 mM) inhibited methanation of both synthetic waste-water and neutral spent sulphite liquor. Acetate accumulated in glucose plus molybdate media. Molybdate had a direct inhibitory effect on enriched acetoclastic methane-producing bacteria. Molybdate was bacteriocidic to sulphate-reducing bacteria and bacteriostatic to methane-producing bacteria.
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Puhakka, J.A., Salkinoja-Salonen, M., Ferguson, J.F. et al. Effect of molybdate ions on methanation of simulated and natural waste-waters. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 32, 494–498 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00903790
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00903790