This book provides a comprehensive overview of the role of anaerobic microorganisms in sustainable energy production, waste management, and environmental biotechnology. It introduces the principles of anaerobic digestion and highlights the growing importance of biogas and biomethane as renewable energy carriers in the transition toward sustainable societies. The microbial processes underpinning these technologies are presented with a focus on the biochemistry and ecophysiology of anaerobic microorganisms, including syntrophic bacteria and methanogenic archaea.
The book explores microbial interactions in diverse and extreme environments, such as oil reservoirs and low temperature anaerobic systems. In addition, the fermentation of sludge and organic waste streams to produce volatile fatty acids is discussed, highlighting their potential as valuable platform chemicals fora wide range of biotechnological applications.
Recent advances in bioelectrochemical systems are also covered, demonstrating how electroactive microorganisms can be harnessed for resource recovery from wastewater. The concept of carboxylic acid chain elongation using waste-derived substrates is presented as another promising approach for developing circular bioeconomies.
The final chapters focus on emerging trends and future directions in anaerobic biotechnology. Topics include biological biogas upgrading, the application of artificial intelligence and multi-omics approaches to decipher microbial metabolic pathways and interaction networks, as well as the development of global databases such as MIDAS AD for characterizing microbial communities in anaerobic digesters. By integrating fundamental microbiology with innovative technologies and industrial applications, the book demonstrates the pivotal role of anaerobic biotechnology in advancing sustainability, resource recovery, renewable energy production, and the transition to a circular economy.
