Suitability of sugarcane stillage for the reuse in agriculture: assessment of different treatment technologies and potential environmental impacts

• Grant number: 14/04636-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal researcher: Marcelo Loureiro Garcia
• Grantee: Isabella Junqueira Rodrigues
• Home Institution: Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/15984-0 - Bioenergy production from wastewaters and environmental fitting of liquid and solid wastes generated, AP.TEM

Abstract

The use of ethanol presents several advantages in comparison with fossil fuels, such its renewable character and the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases. Although ethanol is commonly characterized as a sustainable fuel, its production may generate numerous onuses to the environment, focusing on the generation of stillage, wastewater whose composition present a high organic and nutrient content. In Brazil, most of the stillage is usually directed to the fertigation of the fields; however, such practice may cause several impacts to the soil and water bodies from the surrounding areas, especially when technical criteria are not properly considered. Based on the stillage's compositional characteristics, anaerobic digestion represents an efficient treatment option, combining a reduction on its polluting potential with an intrinsic potential to recover energy, due to the generation of biogas. However, the effluents from anaerobic reactors still present some reuse limitations, considering undesired aspects such as high color levels and unpleasant odor. Given this scenario, this research project proposes the treatment of stillage in conventional systems (specifically coagulation-flocculation) subsequently to the anaerobic treatment. Thus, a reduction on the stillage's polluting potential is expected, enhancing its suitability for the reuse in agriculture and minimizing possible risks to the environment and human health. We also intend to compare the results obtained within this project with other treatment processes commonly applied to stillage, in order to identify the most appropriate system's configurations to its environmental suitability.

Scientific publications

(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)

FUESS, LUCAS T.; RODRIGUES, ISABELLA J.; GARCIA, MARCELO L. Fertirrigation with sugarcane vinasse: Foreseeing potential impacts on soil and water resources through vinasse characterization. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH PART A-TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, v. 52, n. 11, p. 1063-1072, 2017. Web of Science Citations: 4.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RODRIGUES, Isabella Junqueira. Adequação da vinhaça de cana-de-açúcar para reuso agrícola : avaliação de diferentes tecnologias de tratamento e potenciais impactos ambientais. 2016. 71 f. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas..