We are working on several projects that optimize anaerobic digestion of waste to generate biogas (methane). The microbial ecology in anaerobic digesters treating swine waste is studied with powerful molecular biology techniques, such as 16S rRNA surveys, nanoSIMS-FISH, and membrane hybridization. In addition, the effects of changes in reactor configuration and volumetric loading rate for anaerobic digestion of stillage from the dry-grind corn-to-ethanol plants is studied. Finally, we study secondary solids digestion.

This work is funded by CREES-USDA, IDCEO-NCERC, and Anheuser-Busch.