Strategy for valorization of phenolic compounds from agro-industrial waste

• Grant number: 19/21370-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: December 16, 2019
• End date: December 15, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Zaiat
• Grantee: Adriana Ferreira Maluf Braga
• Supervisor: Fernando González Fermoso
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Instituto de la Grasa (IG), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/00213-8 - Dynamics of trace metals in vinasse anaerobic digestion: Effect of Ba supplementation, BP.PD

Abstract

The application of a biorefinery approach in agro-industrial mills relies on the recovery of the waste and wastewater. For the harnessing of lignocellulosic biomass, a pre-treatment is necessary. However, releasing the monosaccharides present in biomass, like glucose and xylose, implies in the release of phenols and furans, which compose the lignin. These compounds are considered recalcitrant and cause an inhibitory effect on H2 and CH4 production. Concentration higher than 1000mg.L-1 is reported as inhibitory. Besides, there are a few studies in the literature regarding each specific compounds are inhibitory for anaerobic microorganisms. Phenolic chain have also the characteristic of chelate metals; however, up to our knowledge, the trace metals bioavailability interaction with phenols compounds have not been evaluated before. Thereafter, the present project aims to assess the phenols effect on H2 and CH4 production, applying fractional factorial design (FFD) in batch assays. The effect of phenols extraction on trace metals bioavailability will be evaluated as well. Finally, the results will be used to assess the best approach to deal with phenols from agro-industrial waste: to recover the phenols as a subproduct with high added-value before the anaerobic digestion or to produce biogas along with phenols degradation. (AU)

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)

CAROCA, E.; SERRANO, A.; BORJA, R.; JIMENEZ, A.; CARVAJAL, A.; BRAGA, A. F. M.; RODRIGUEZ-GUTIERREZ, G.; FERMOSO, F. G.. Influence of phenols and furans released during thermal pretreatment of olive mill solid waste on its anaerobic digestion. WASTE MANAGEMENT, v. 120, p. 202-208, FEB 1 2021. (19/21370-7)