Anaerobic wastewater digestion directed to butanol and ethanol production

• Grant number: 12/09785-8
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Ariovaldo José da Silva
• Grantee: Ariovaldo José da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola (FEAGRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adriano Pinto Mariano ; Denis Miguel Roston ; Marcelo Zaiat ; Rubens Maciel Filho

Abstract

This research is focused on the production of butanol and ethanol by anaerobic digestion of wastewater generated by agricultural and industrial activities for example molasses from sugar cane. The production of butanol and ethanol by anaerobic digestion involves a biphasic fermentation process and produces a mixture of solvents consisting of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) by means of biochemical reactions carried out by Clostridium species found in natural environments. Depending on the characteristics of the waste and of conditions operating of the anaerobic digestion, the process can be directed the production of either ethanol or butanol. Butanol has a high aggregated value and can be used either as automotive fuel or as input for chemical or pharmaceutical industry. Ethanol can also be used in several activities, but the main use is as fuel in the transportation sector. Brazil and the USA are responsible by 62% of ethanol global production from sugarcane and cornstarch, respectively. Other sources of carbohydrates for ethanol and butanol production are wastes agricultural and agroindustrial containing lignocellulosic materials, such as rice straw, wheat straw, corn straw and bagasse. This project will be developed in Sanitation laboratory of Agricultural Engineering School - FEAGRI/UNICAMP and will have collaboration of researchers from School Engineering of São Carlos - USP, Chemical Engineering School - FEQ/UNICAMP and of École Polytechnique of Montréal, Canada. It is hoped that this research result in contribution to use of energy from industrial waste by minimizing the negative impacts to the environment. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, DOUGLAS B.; FERNANDES, BRUNA S.; DA SILVA, ARIOVALDO J.. Effect of initial pH and substrate concentration on the lactic acid production from cassava wastewater fermentation by an enriched culture of acidogenic microorganisms. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH, NOV 2020. (12/09785-8)

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; DOS SANTOS, GRACIETE MARY; DELFORNO, TIAGO PALLADINO; MORAES, BRUNA DE SOUZA; DA SILVA, ARIOVALDO JOSE. Biochemical butyrate production via dark fermentation as an energetically efficient alternative management approach for vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries. RENEWABLE ENERGY, v. 158, p. 3-12, OCT 2020. (12/09785-8, 16/16438-3)

MORAES, BRUNA DE SOUZA; DOS SANTOS, GRACIETE MARY; DELFORNO, TIAGO PALLADINO; FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; DA SILVA, ARIOVALDO JOSE. Enriched microbial consortia for dark fermentation of sugarcane vinasse towards value-added short-chain organic acids and alcohol production. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, v. 127, n. 5, p. 594-601, MAY 2019. (12/09785-8, 16/16438-3)

DA SILVA, DOUGLAS B.; FERNANDES, BRUNA S.; DA SILVA, ARIOVALDO J.. Effect of initial pH and substrate concentration on the lactic acid production from cassava wastewater fermentation by an enriched culture of acidogenic microorganisms. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH, v. 93, n. 10, p. 1925-1933, OCT 2021. (12/09785-8)