Cofactor F tail length distribution in different environmental samples.

Cofactor F is an electron carrier playing a crucial role in a variety of microorganisms during redox reactions of the primary and secondary metabolism due to its low redox potential and thus arouses increasing interest. In this study, cofactor F glutamyl tail length spectra in various habitats like manure, compost, soil, and digester sludge samples and their respective microbial communities were investigated using high performance liquid chromatography and an amplicon sequencing approach A previous study was used to identify F producing microorganisms. The highest concentration of cofactor F could be achieved in the horse manure, digester sludge, and mixed manure samples, which was approximately 100-fold higher than in all the other samples.

Pre-treatment with Trichoderma viride: Towards a better understanding of its consequences for anaerobic digestion.

Understanding and optimising biological pre-treatment strategies for enhanced bio-methane production is a central aspect in second-generation biofuel research. In this regard, the application of fungi for pre-treatment seems highly promising; however, understanding the mode of action is crucial. Here, we show how aerobic pre-treatment of crystalline cellulose with the cellulolytic Trichoderma viride affects substrate degradability during mesophilic, anaerobic digestion.

Estimating actual SARS-CoV-2 infections from secondary data.

Eminent in pandemic management is accurate information on infection dynamics to plan for timely installation of control measures and vaccination campaigns. Despite huge efforts in diagnostic testing of individuals, the underestimation of the actual number of SARS-CoV-2 infections remains significant due to the large number of undocumented cases. In this paper we demonstrate and compare three methods to estimate the dynamics of true infections based on secondary data i.

Meso- and thermophilic posttreatment of press water coming from a thermophilic municipal solid waste digester.

An efficient biogas production out of organic (waste) materials is important to contribute to a carbon-neutral future. In this study, thermophilic press water (PW) coming from an organic fraction of the municipal solid waste digester was further digested in a thermo- and mesophilic posttreatment approach using two semicontinuous 14 L digesters. The results showed that the PW can still have considerable high biogas potential-at least during the touristic high season in central Europe.

Effects of phenyl acids on different degradation phases during thermophilic anaerobic digestion.

Aromatic compounds like phenyl acids (PA) can accumulate during anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic wastes due to an increased entry of lignocellulose, secondary plant metabolites or proteins, and thermodynamic challenges in degrading the benzene ring. The effects of aromatic compounds can be various - from being highly toxic to be stimulating for methanogenesis - depending on many parameters like inoculum or molecular characteristics of the aromatic compound. To contribute to a better understanding of the consequences of PA exposure during AD, the aim was to evaluate the effects of 10 mM PA on microbial communities degrading different, degradation phase-specific substrates in thermophilic batch reactors within 28  days: Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, promoting hydrolytic to methanogenic microorganisms), butyrate or propionate (promoting syntrophic volatile fatty acid (VFA) oxidisers to methanogens), or acetate (promoting syntrophic acetate oxidisers to methanogens).