Function and effect of trace metals as micronutrients in biohydrogen and volatile organic acids production by anaerobic processing of sugarcane bagasse hydrolised

• Grant number: 11/22447-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Mockaitis
• Grantee: Gabriel Magdalon
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/15984-0 - Bioenergy production from wastewaters and environmental fitting of liquid and solid wastes generated, AP.TEM

Abstract

Among the nutritionals requirements of any biologic system, three essentials groups can be detached: the macronutrients, micronutrients and the elements in trace quantities. These last ones are utilized by the cells as cofactors in the activation or deactivation of allosteric enzymes. In this way, the lack or excess of these elements can carry a problem in the functioning of some enzymes and consequently can activate or deactivate some metabolic routes. In a biologic process, the production of any metabolite of interest can be stimulated through the presence of one or more of these elements that activate one metabolic route of production and deactivate one occasional route of consume, however without affecting the organism growth. In the anaerobic bioprocessing of the hydrolyzed of sugar cane bagasse, objectifying the obtention of products of aggregate value as hydrogen as energetic source and the organics acids as sub products, an adequate composition of these elements can increase the efficiency of systems and bring stability in the production of hydrogen and volatile organic acids. Furthermore, the hydrolyzed of sugar cane bagasse is principally composed of pentoses that are not easily fermentable, and some of these metals can bring important results in order to improve the degradability of these pentoses in volatile organic acids. Considering the importance and the gain in stability and efficiency that one right nutrition composition can confer in the anaerobic processing to obtain hydrogen and volatiles acids, the present project propose the investigation, in fundamental character, of the effects of metals in trace concentration and of micronutrients, in the production of biohydrogen and volatile organic acids through acidogenics anaerobic process utilizing the hydrolyzed of sugar cane bagasse as source of carbon. (AU)