Index >> Waste Water Microbiology >> Anaerobic Hydrolysis

Anaerobic Hydrolysis - Since large, insoluble polymers can not be directly transported into microbial cells, the initial phases in the hydrolysis of substrates such as sewage sludge take place extracellularly.

These extracellular reactions are mediated only by a few bacteria which are able to produce the enzymes necessary for the degradation of large molecules.In general, the number of bacterial species able to degrade large molecules increases with a decrease in the size of molecules.

Cellulose, hemicellulose and starch comprise the important polysaccharides in the anaerobic digestion. In addition pectin and dextrin are also found to be present in the digestion process. These complex polysaccharides are hydrylosed by specific bacterial groups like celluloytic bacteria, amylolytic bacteria and pectinolytic bacteria which are able to produce the corresponding enzymes.