Coincidence of changes in the level of biogas production and the resulting metabolites
Image source: Murovec B., Makuc D., Kolbl Repinc S., Prevoršek Z., Zavec D., Šket R., Pečnik K., Plavec J., Stres B. 1H NMR metabolomics of microbial metabolites in the four MW agricultural biogas plant reactors: a case study of inhibition mirroring the acute rumen acidosis symptoms.
J. Environ. Manag., 222 (2018), 428-435.
Publish Date: 03.12.2018
Category: Outstanding research achievements, Interdisciplinary research, Our contribution to sustainable development goals
Sustainable development goals: 3 Good health and well-being (Indicators)
The metabolomes of inhibited industrial biogas reactors do not differ from metabolomes of ruminants with acute rumen acidosis. The researchers have shown for the first time that the biochemical-metabolic background in both phenomena is actually the same.
Authors: Boštjan Murovec, Damjan Makuc, Sabina Kolbl Repinc, Zala Prevoršek, Domen Zavec, Robert Šket, Klemen Pečnik, Janez Plavec, Blaž Stres
Interdisciplinary group of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Biotechnical Faculty, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ljubljana and National Institute of Chemistry (Boštjan Murovec, Damjan Makuc, Sabina Kolbl Repinc, Zala Prevoršek, Domen Zavec, Robert Šket, Klemen Pečnik, Janez Plavec, Blaž Stres) introduced a unique method for analysing complex anaerobic systems in existing plants (on an industrial scale). Nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) was used for spectroscopic profiling of reactor content at a 4 MW agricultural biogas power plant to provide a comprehensive overview of microbial metabolites. The multivariate analysis assessed the significance of differences between reactors, which differed in the amount of substrates added and methane produced. Artificial neural networks were used to identify key metabolites responsible for inhibition, and their interactions.
The introduction of the technique enabled the rapid mapping of a large number of metabolites and the construction of a database of metabolites of anaerobic biogas plants and, consequently, set up a system for early forecasting of the upcoming inhibitory events on an industrial scale and for the initiation of appropriate intervention procedures, and thus a faster return of the plant to the active zone, and greater efficiency of its operation. It has also been shown that the 1H-NMR metabolomes of inhibited industrial biogas reactors do not differ from the metabolites of diseased animals, which showed for the first time that the biochemical-metabolic background in both phenomena is in fact the same, thus the use of 1H-NMR can also be extended to medical purposes.
References: Murovec B., Makuc D., Kolbl Repinc S., Prevoršek Z., Zavec D., Šket R., Pečnik K., Plavec J., Stres B. 1H NMR metabolomics of microbial metabolites in the four MW agricultural biogas plant reactors: a case study of inhibition mirroring the acute rumen acidosis symptoms. J. Environ. Manag., 222 (2018), 428-435.
Kolbl Repinc S., Šket R., Zavec D., Vogel-Mikuš K., Fermoso F. G., Stres B. Full-scale agricultural biogas plant metal content and process parameters in relation to bacterial and archaeal microbial communities over 2.5 year span, J. Environ. Manag., 213 (2018), 348-357.