Monitoring of chemical constituents of vinasse during the Piracicaba - SP sugarcane harvest

• Grant number: 10/19092-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Nascimento Duarte
• Grantee: Pedro Henrique Chinelato
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Vinasse is a byproduct of the distillation of fermented sugarcane juice to produce ethanol. It is produced in large quantities, typically 13 liters of vinasse per liter of alcohol, and it is currently used to fertigate sugarcane fields, particularly in areas close to sugarcane factories, because it contains high concentrations of potassium, magnesium, nitrate, and other elements. Due to the large quantities of vinasse produced, and consequently, the potential to over apply the constituent elements to the soil, the present research project aims to: a) measure the variability of the main chemical constituents of vinasse (nitrate, potassium, calcium, pH and electrical conductivity), and b) the variability of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of vinasse, during the 2011 sugarcane harvest in Piracicaba - SP, and c) based on the results, determine the quantities of vinasse that can be safely applied to the soil, in accordance with the standards established by CETESB. (AU)