Exploring the valorization of fats into volatile fatty acids by anaerobic mixed culture fermentation

• Grant number: 19/25341-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 15, 2020
• End date: September 14, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Zaiat
• Grantee: Jaqueline Cardoso Ribeiro
• Supervisor: Juan Manuel Lema
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago (USC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/06940-6 - Evaluation of acidogenic and methanogenic anaerobic reactors in the treatment of vinasse and whey without alkalination, BP.DR

Abstract

The production of VFAs from organic wastes and residues by anaerobic fermentation is a promising technology and the use of microbial mixed culture fermentation is encouraged due to its various operational and economic advantages. The main limitation that prevents its industrial applicability is a lack of precise understanding of how different organic fractions are biotransformed into different VFAs. Lipids are one of the fractions constituting organic wastes and its conversion during fermentation is a knowledge-deficient area. Although, it is commonly admitted that beta-oxidation is the main mechanism in LCFAs transformation, many questions on selectivity, conversion and the role of the fatty acid chemical structure remain open. Thus the present project focuses on answering key questions related to the conversion of fats into VFAs so this knowledge can be finally applied in the valorization of a real residual stream. (AU)