Investigating the microbiology and microbial processes involved during the anaerobic degradation of high strength industrial wastewaters

• Main Author: Venkatakrishnan, Harish
• Other Authors: Ng Wun Jern
• Format: Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Environmental engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/144041
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Anaerobic degradation of industrial wastewaters has proven a viable alternative for waste treatment with a reduced carbon footprint. However certain challenges remain in terms of achieving robust process performance which is directly underpinned by microbial communities governing the anaerobic process. Understanding the role of these communities poses a challenge mainly due to following factors: a) Limited findings which correlate process performance with community dynamics of both acidogens and methanogens, b) Differing responses of microbes to different substrates and process parameters. Therefore the major objective of this project was to observe microbial community dynamics and its impact on process performance by using molecular microbial techniques to track community development and changes.