Academic Journal
View in EDS

Inhibiting methanogenesis with medium-chain fatty acids: strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of food waste chain elongation systems.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Inhibiting methanogenesis with medium-chain fatty acids: strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of food waste chain elongation systems.
Authors: Guo Y; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: 2311130011@nbu.edu.cn., Jia X; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: jiaxiwen@nbu.edu.cn., Chen Y; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: foreversosi722@outlook.com., Xu S; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: 2311130116@nbu.edu.cn., Ming T; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: mingtinghong@nbu.edu.cn., Kong F; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: kongfei@nbu.edu.cn., Xu J; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: xujiajie@nbu.edu.cn.
Source: Bioresource technology [Bioresour Technol] 2026 Oct; Vol. 458, pp. 135078. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 04.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Elsevier Applied Science Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9889523 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-2976 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09608524 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Bioresour Technol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Barking, Essex, England : New York, N.Y. : Elsevier Applied Science ; Elsevier Science Pub. Co., 1991-
MeSH Terms: Methane*/biosynthesis , Fatty Acids*/metabolism , Fatty Acids*/chemistry, Bioreactors/microbiology ; Food Loss and Waste ; Fermentation ; Anaerobiosis ; Fatty Acids, Volatile
Abstract: Converting food waste (FW) into medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation (CE) is an economical and eco-friendly approach, but methanogenic competition remains a key challenge limiting CE efficiency. Traditional inhibition methods (e.g., pH regulation, hydraulic/solids retention time control, chemical additives) require strict operation or external inputs, causing non-specific microbial inhibition, high costs and environmental risks. Innovatively, MCFAs can inherently suppress methanogens with obvious advantages. However, their inhibition mechanisms and dependence on concentration and carbon chain length remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of butyric acid (C4), caproic acid (C6), and caprylic acid (C8) at different concentrations on methane production, medium- and short-chain fatty acids accumulation, and microbial dynamics in FW anaerobic fermentation. The results indicated that the inhibitory effect was primarily driven by undissociated fatty acids, with the potency increasing with longer carbon chain lengths. Notably, C8 at a low undissociated concentration (0.05 mM) completely inhibited methanogenesis. Higher concentrations of C4, C6, and C8 effectively sustained hydrolysis and acidogenesis while promoting CE and leading to the accumulation of caproic acid and caprylic acid. Metagenomic analysis showed that a decline in methanogenesis-related functional genes was accompanied by an increase in reverse β-oxidation related functional genes. These findings provide a feasible strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of FW-based CE systems, and present a sustainable route for FW valorization toward high-value biochemicals.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Anaerobic fermentation; High-value conversion; Inhibitory effect; Microbial communities; Organic resources
Substance Nomenclature: OP0UW79H66 (Methane)
0 (Food Loss and Waste)
0 (Fatty Acids)
0 (Fatty Acids, Volatile)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260605 Date Completed: 20260721 Latest Revision: 20260721
Update Code: 20260721
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135078
PMID: 42248258
Database: MEDLINE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135078?
    Name: ScienceDirect (all content) (s7799221)
    Category: fullText
    Text: View record from ScienceDirect
    MouseOverText: View record from ScienceDirect
  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:cmedm&genre=article&issn=18732976&ISBN=&volume=458&issue=&date=20261001&spage=135078&pages=135078&title=Bioresource technology&atitle=Inhibiting%20methanogenesis%20with%20medium-chain%20fatty%20acids%3A%20strategy%20for%20rapid%20start-up%20and%20stable%20operation%20of%20food%20waste%20chain%20elongation%20systems.&aulast=Guo%20Y&id=DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135078
    Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
Header DbId: cmedm
DbLabel: MEDLINE
An: 42248258
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Inhibiting methanogenesis with medium-chain fatty acids: strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of food waste chain elongation systems.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Guo+Y%22">Guo Y</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: 2311130011@nbu.edu.cn.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Jia+X%22">Jia X</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: jiaxiwen@nbu.edu.cn.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Chen+Y%22">Chen Y</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: foreversosi722@outlook.com.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Xu+S%22">Xu S</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: 2311130116@nbu.edu.cn.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Ming+T%22">Ming T</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: mingtinghong@nbu.edu.cn.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Kong+F%22">Kong F</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: kongfei@nbu.edu.cn.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Xu+J%22">Xu J</searchLink>; School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China; Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: xujiajie@nbu.edu.cn.
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%229889523%22">Bioresource technology</searchLink> [Bioresour Technol] 2026 Oct; Vol. 458, pp. 135078. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Jun 04.
– Name: TypePub
  Label: Publication Type
  Group: TypPub
  Data: Journal Article
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Journal Info
  Group: Src
  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Elsevier+Applied+Science%22">Elsevier Applied Science </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>England <i>NLM ID: </i>9889523 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1873-2976 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2209608524%22">09608524 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Bioresour Technol <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
– Name: PublisherInfo
  Label: Imprint Name(s)
  Group: PubInfo
  Data: <i>Original Publication</i>: Barking, Essex, England : New York, N.Y. : Elsevier Applied Science ; Elsevier Science Pub. Co., 1991-
– Name: SubjectMESH
  Label: MeSH Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Methane%22">Methane*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Methane+biosynthesis%22">biosynthesis</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fatty+Acids%22">Fatty Acids*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fatty+Acids+metabolism%22">metabolism</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fatty+Acids%22">Fatty Acids*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fatty+Acids+chemistry%22">chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Bioreactors%22">Bioreactors</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Bioreactors+microbiology%22">microbiology</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Food+Loss+and+Waste%22">Food Loss and Waste</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Fermentation%22">Fermentation</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Anaerobiosis%22">Anaerobiosis</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Fatty+Acids%2C+Volatile%22">Fatty Acids, Volatile</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Converting food waste (FW) into medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation (CE) is an economical and eco-friendly approach, but methanogenic competition remains a key challenge limiting CE efficiency. Traditional inhibition methods (e.g., pH regulation, hydraulic/solids retention time control, chemical additives) require strict operation or external inputs, causing non-specific microbial inhibition, high costs and environmental risks. Innovatively, MCFAs can inherently suppress methanogens with obvious advantages. However, their inhibition mechanisms and dependence on concentration and carbon chain length remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of butyric acid (C4), caproic acid (C6), and caprylic acid (C8) at different concentrations on methane production, medium- and short-chain fatty acids accumulation, and microbial dynamics in FW anaerobic fermentation. The results indicated that the inhibitory effect was primarily driven by undissociated fatty acids, with the potency increasing with longer carbon chain lengths. Notably, C8 at a low undissociated concentration (0.05 mM) completely inhibited methanogenesis. Higher concentrations of C4, C6, and C8 effectively sustained hydrolysis and acidogenesis while promoting CE and leading to the accumulation of caproic acid and caprylic acid. Metagenomic analysis showed that a decline in methanogenesis-related functional genes was accompanied by an increase in reverse β-oxidation related functional genes. These findings provide a feasible strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of FW-based CE systems, and present a sustainable route for FW valorization toward high-value biochemicals.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Competing Interests
  Group: Ab
  Data: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
– Name: SubjectMinor
  Label: Contributed Indexing
  Group:
  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Anaerobic fermentation; High-value conversion; Inhibitory effect; Microbial communities; Organic resources
– Name: NumberCAS
  Label: Substance Nomenclature
  Group: ID
  Data: OP0UW79H66 (Methane)<br />0 (Food Loss and Waste)<br />0 (Fatty Acids)<br />0 (Fatty Acids, Volatile)
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date(s)
  Group: Date
  Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260605 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260721 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260721
– Name: DateUpdate
  Label: Update Code
  Group: Date
  Data: 20260721
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135078
– Name: AN
  Label: PMID
  Group: ID
  Data: 42248258
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=cmedm&AN=42248258
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135078
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        StartPage: 135078
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Bioreactors microbiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food Loss and Waste
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fermentation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anaerobiosis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fatty Acids, Volatile
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Methane biosynthesis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fatty Acids metabolism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fatty Acids chemistry
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Inhibiting methanogenesis with medium-chain fatty acids: strategy for rapid start-up and stable operation of food waste chain elongation systems.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Guo Y
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jia X
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Chen Y
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xu S
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ming T
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kong F
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xu J
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Text: 2026 Oct
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1873-2976
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 458
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Bioresource technology
              Type: main
ResultId 1