Metagenomic Analysis of Microbial Communities in the Anaerobic Biodigestion of Cattle Manure: Biotechnological Implications for the Bioremediation of Contaminated Soils
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28940/terralatinoamericana.v44i.2436Keywords:
bacteria, biodigesters, digestate, methanogenesisAbstract
Anaerobic digestion is a key biotechnological tool for energy recovery and the sustainable management of livestock waste, generating biogas and biofertilizers that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of this study was to
analyze the microbial communities present during the anaerobic biodigestion of cattle
manure through metagenomic sequencing, evaluating their potential for the bioremediation of contaminated soils. The research was conducted over 60 days at the Hermanos JBZ ranch in El Empalme, Ecuador, using a 200 L pilot-scale metal biodigester fed with a 1:1 mixture of manure and water and operated under controlled mesophilic conditions (30–38 °C). Three biol samples were collected (days 0, 30, and 60) for bacterial diversity analysis, applying column-based DNA extraction protocols, amplification of the 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 regions, primers 341F/805R), and sequencing using the Illumina platform. The data were processed using bioinformatic tools for taxonomic annotation and determination of the relative abundance of genera. The results revealed a microbial succession typical of anaerobic processes, with an initial predominance of fermentative bacteria such as Bacteroides (4.11%) and Lysinibacillus, followed by Treponema (8.97%) and methanogenic archaea (Methanocorpusculum, Methanosarcina, Methanobrevibacter) in the final phase. These communities demonstrated complementary functions in organic matter degradation, methane production, carbon stabilization, and potential metal immobilization. Although the application of digestate was not experimentally evaluated, the integration of metagenomic data with recent literature supports its value as a microbial bioamendment. Overall, the results provide scientific evidence on the usefulness of microbial consortia from biodigesters as soil restoration agents, reinforcing the principles of the circular bioeconomy and Sustainable Development Goals 7, 12, and 13.
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