Anaerobic d igestion (AD) is a biological process occurring in the absence of oxygen, where microorganisms degrade organic matte r to produce biogas, a mixture of methane (CH4) , carbon dioxide (CO2), and trace gases like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) . The CH4 in the biogas can then be used to run boilers or generators for heat and electricity production. While anaerobic digestion can be a suitable technique for waste treatment for different waste streams from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) farm , the components of the waste may lead to several challenges that inhibit the stable functioning of biological processes within a digester. These challenges include low solids content , high salinity, low carbon to nitrogen ratio , high fat content, and high sulfur content. Typically, all these issues result in reduced microbial activity that ultimately affects the biogas quality and quantity.
In the last few years, tools for studying microbiological processes have evolved significantly and have allowed for substantially more in-depth studies of processes like anaerobic digestion. Tools like next-generation sequencing (NGS) have allowed for the s equencing and study of a large number of genes simultaneously. In addition to anaerobic digestion, t hese tools can offer significant insight into the function of biofilters , membrane biological reactors, and aquaponics systems for improving their performance and optimization. In this presentation, the challenges and opportunities for using tools like next generation sequencing (NGS) for microbial analysis in anaerobic digestion studies will be explore d.