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Title Biorefining food waste through the anaerobic conversion of endogenous lactate into caproate: A fragile balance between microbial substrate utilization and product inhibition
ID_Doc 64523
Authors Gazzola, G; Braguglia, CM; Crognale, S; Gallipoli, A; Mininni, G; Piemonte, V; Rossetti, S; Tonanzi, B; Gianico, A
Title Biorefining food waste through the anaerobic conversion of endogenous lactate into caproate: A fragile balance between microbial substrate utilization and product inhibition
Year 2022
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.07.031
Abstract New technologies development and renewable source exploitation are key tools to realize the European Green Deal and to boost the bio-based economy. In this context, fermentation of organic residues as food waste is an efficient method to obtain marketable products such as carboxylic acids widely applied in industrial production. Under favourable thermodynamic conditions, short chain fatty acids deriving from primary fermentation could be biologically converted into medium-chain fatty acids as caproate via chain elongation (CE) process, by using ethanol or lactate as electron donors. This study evaluates the effectivity of producing caproate from Food Waste extract rich in organics with in situ electron donor production. The test carried out at OLR 15 gCOD L(-1)d(-1) showed high Volatile Fatty Acids (from acetic to caproic acid) yields (0.37 g g(-1)COD(fed)), with a maximum caproate concentration of 8 g L-1. The associated microbiome was composed by lactate-producing bacteria (Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus, and Olsenella) and by chain elongators (Clostridiaceae and Caproiciproducens). By stressing the system with OLR increase up to 20 gCOD L(-1)d(-1), the CE process was inhibited by the high concentration of caproate (low occurrence of Clostridiaceae and Caproiciproducens). Nevertheless, after few days of stop-feeding regime imposed to the system, the microbiome restored its capability to proceed with lactate-based CE pathways. Different batch tests carried out with the inhibited biomass at increasing initial caproate concentration confirmed its impact on lactate utilization kinetics.
Author Keywords Fermentation; Chain elongation; Lactate; Food waste; Carboxylic acids; Caproiciproducens
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000838194600002
WoS Category Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences
Research Area Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology
PDF https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2022.07.031
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