Overview

Acronym | Duration | Granted by

(none) | 15.12.2012 until 31.03.2015 | Federal Ministry of Nutrition and Agriculture (BMEL)

Motivation and Background

Biogas is made by microorganisms. Nevertheless for controlling the biogas process in digesters only physicochemical analyses are used.

This project started with the assumption that a better knowledge of the state of the microbiology in a digester could allow a better control of the fermentation process. But therefore the composition of microorganisms has to be measured first.

AMODIAs molecular technique of Universal Molecular IDentification (UMID) is able to provide such information. This technique should be applied to commercial biogas plants in order to investigate, which microorganisms are relevant, and if some of them are suitable as a biomarker, i.e. if they are indicative for the state of the microbiology in a digester.

Goals

The first goal was the development of specifically adjusted methods to extract and amplify microbial DNA from biogas digesters.

These methods should monitor the microbial composition in large biogas plants over a period of one year. This should detect changes in the microbiology while normal operation as well as during possible incidents.

It should be investigated if there are “indicative organisms”, characteristic for the state of the microbiology. And if such organisms were found, rapid tests should be developed to detect them.

Research Programme

Funding program Renewable Primary Products of the Institution for Renewable Resources e.V. (FNR)