This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mormile, M. R. Articles by Suflita, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mormile, M. R. Articles by Suflita, J. M. Agricola Articles by Mormile, M. R. Articles by Suflita, J. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., May 1996, 1583-1588, Vol 62, No. 5
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology

The Importance of Hydrogen in Landfill Fermentations

MR Mormile, KR Gurijala, JA Robinson, MJ McInerney and JM Suflita
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, and The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Forty-two samples taken from two landfills were monitored for CH(inf4) production and apparent steady-state H(inf2) concentration. The rates of methanogenesis in these samples ranged from below the detection limit to 1,900 (mu)mol kg (dry weight)(sup-1) day(sup-1), and the median steady-state hydrogen concentration was 1.4 (mu)M in one landfill and 5.2 (mu)M in the other. To further investigate the relationship between hydrogen concentration and methanogenesis, a subset of seven landfill samples was selected on basis of their rates of CH(inf4) production, H(inf2) concentrations, sample pHs, and moisture contents. Samples with H(inf2) concentrations of <20 nM had relatively small amounts of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) (undetectable to 18.6 mmol of VFA kg [dry weight](sup-1)), while samples with H(inf2) concentrations of >100 nM had relatively high VFA levels (133 to 389 mmol of VFA kg [dry weight](sup-1)). Samples with high H(inf2) and VFA contents had relatively low pH values (<=6.3). However, methanogenic and syntrophic bacteria were present in all samples, so the lack of methanogenesis in some samples was not due to a lack of suitable inocula. The low rates of methanogenesis in these samples were probably due to inhibitory effects of low pH and VFA accumulation, resulting from a thermodynamic uncoupling of fatty acid oxidation. As in other anaerobic ecosystems, H(inf2) is a critical intermediate that may be used to monitor the status of landfill fermentations.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Chauhan, A., Ogram, A. (2006). Fatty Acid-Oxidizing Consortia along a Nutrient Gradient in the Florida Everglades. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 2400-2406 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Coates, J. D., Cole, K. A., Michaelidou, U., Patrick, J., McInerney, M. J., Achenbach, L. A. (2005). Biological Control of Hog Waste Odor through Stimulated Microbial Fe(III) Reduction. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 4728-4735 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chauhan, A., Ogram, A., Reddy, K. R. (2004). Syntrophic-Methanogenic Associations along a Nutrient Gradient in the Florida Everglades. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 3475-3484 [Abstract] [Full Text]