: A novel submerged silicone membrane extraction technique for removing the dissolved gases, and was explored as a method for enhancing CO 2 H 2 , the stability of anaerobic digesters under shock loads. The e †ectiveness of this strategy was demonstrated during a Ðve-fold step increase in the feed concentration from 4 kg m~3 to 20 kg m~3 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) to two anaerobic chemostats, a control and a membrane reactor, operating under steady state. Data revealed that membrane extraction of enabled neutral pH values CO 2 to be maintained during the shock, in contrast to the control ; and this appeared to enhance acetate degradation. In addition, while liquid phase hydrogen removal was only partially successful due to a bioÐlm building up on the membrane, it also appeared to enhance the rate of volatile fatty acid degradation, and hence improved reactor stability. Floc sizes were monitored during the course of the shock load experiment and found to decrease from 46 lm to 30 lm over 35 days in the control, but from 37 lm to \5 lm in the membrane reactor. This decrease in Ñoc size was postulated to be due to the growth of a relatively pure methanogenic bioÐlm on the membrane.1998 Society of Chemical Industry ( J. Chem. T echnol. Biotechnol. 73, 153È161 (1998)