A BALANCE BETWEEN HYDROLYSIS AND METHANOGENESIS DURING THE ANAEROBIC-DIGESTION OF ORGANIC-MATTER

The ''Methane'' simulation model was used to analyze the functioning o f anaerobic microbial communities during the digestion of municipal se wage sludge and the decomposition of organic matter in tundra soil. In both cases, the rate of organic matter decomposition was limited by t he stage of hydrolysis. The dynamics of methane production by tundra s oil was sigmoidal due to changes in the biomass of hydrolytic microorg anisms. The dynamics of solid waste digestion in a reactor with recycl ed leaching liquid was also analyzed. Cessation of digestion at pH 5.2 could be attributed to the inhibition (either direct or indirect) of both methanogenesis and hydrolysis at this pH value. At pH 5.8, intens e methanogenesis promoted hydrolysis.