Agroindustrial waste as a resource for volatile fatty acids production via anaerobic fermentation. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Greses, Silvia; Tomás-Pejó, Elia; Gónzalez-Fernández, Cristina
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 297(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Agroindustrial waste -- Anaerobic digestion -- Microbial community -- Volatile fatty acids; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122486
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Agroindustrial wastes as potential feedstock for volatile fatty acids production. Anaerobic fermentation of agroindustrial wastes contributes to circular economy. High bioconversion yields (50–60%) were reached in batch and continuous reactors. Fermentation effluents with high content of long-chain VFAs. Firmicutes was identify as key phylum for anaerobic fermentation of carbohydrates. Abstract: This study evaluated the feasibility of the anaerobic digestion as a sustainable valorisation strategy for volatile fatty acids production from agroindustrial waste (cucumber, tomato and lettuce). High bioconversion efficiencies were reached by operating the reactors at 25 °C, 3 g VS·d −1 ·L −1 with pH adjustment. Cucumber fermentation achieved the highest bioconversion (52.6%), whereas tomato degradation was the least efficient bioprocess (40.1%) due to the low pH (5.6) that partially inhibited the hydrolytic and acidogenic activities. In all cases, carboxylic acid profiles were mainly composed of volatile fatty acids with even carbon number. The developed microbial community exhibited high hydrolytic and acidogenic activities associated to carbohydrates degradation. This microbial population was dominated by Firmicutes phylum and showed a lack of acetogenic bacteria related with CH4 production, resulting in a remarkably high VFAs accumulation.