Links between synergistic effects and microbial community characteristics of anaerobic co-digestion of food waste, cattle manure and corn straw

Links between synergy and microbial community characteristics in co-digestion of food waste (FW), cattle manure (CM) and corn straw (CS) were investigated. Mono-digestion of FW and CS were inhibited by organic acids. Co-digestion of FW with CM achieved greater synergistic rates (18.5% and 22.3%) than CM with CS (14.8% and 12.3%). Synergy resulted from coupling effects of improving nutrient balance, dilution of toxic compounds, higher buffering capacity, detoxification based on co-metabolism, which ultimately reflected in microbial community functions. Although co-digestion of FW with CS exhibited lowest synergistic rates (7.9% and 4.9%), detoxification based on co-metabolism of syntrophic communities of Syntrophomonadaceae with hydrogenotrophic methanogens accelerated system recovery. Digester with the greatest synergy (65% FW + 35% CM) maintained dominant growth of hydrogenotrophic methanogens (68.9%), highest methanogenic community diversity and relative abundance of Methanosarcina (14.6%), which sustained more diverse and switchable methanogenic pathways therefore ensured powerful methanogenic functions and vigorous methanogenic capability.