Anaerobic

Anaerobic is a word coming from the Greek word "αναερόβιος" (comprising from the words αν=without, αέρας=air and βίος=life) which literally means living without air, as opposed to aerobic.

In wastewater treatment the absence of molecular oxygen O₂ is indicated as anoxic; and anaerobic is used usually to indicate the biological reactions in anoxic environment carried out by biological organisms.

Anaerobic may refer to:

• Anaerobic adhesive, a bonding agent that does not cure in the presence of air
• Anaerobic clarigester, is a form of anaerobic digester
• Anaerobic contact process, is a type of anaerobic digester
• Anaerobic digestion, (AD) is the naturally occurring process of anaerobic decomposition harnessed and contained to manage waste and/or release energy
• Anaerobic environment, an aquatic environment with little available oxygen - see Hypoxia (environmental)
• Anaerobic exercise, a form of exercise
• Anaerobic filter
• Anaerobic lagoon, used to dispose of animal waste, particularly that of cows and pigs
• Anaerobic organism, any organism whose redox metabolism does not depend on free oxygen
• Anaerobic respiration, respiration in the absence of oxygen, using some other molecule as the final electron acceptor
• Anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox, the microbial process combining ammonium and nitrite