Hydrogen and organic acids production by soy processing residue treatment (molasses and okara) in thermophilic and mesophilic conditions

• Grant number: 21/02507-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: José Alberto Domingues Rodrigues
• Grantee: Isabela Mehi Gaspari Augusto
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia Mauá (EEM). Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia. São Caetano do Sul , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/06246-7 - Biorefinery concept applied to biological wastewater treatment plants: environmental pollution control coupled with material and energy recovery, AP.TEM

Abstract

The number of researches for the development of an increasingly circular economy has been growing, even as studies focus on the use of agro-industrial residues in biogas and biomolecules production through anaerobic digestion have been gaining prominence. Soy molasses and okara, residues from soybean processing, have low added value and high volume produced, which makes them great candidates for this process. In this sense, the present work aims are to evaluate the application of Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor with liquid phase recirculation (AnSBBR) to treat soybean processing residues (molasses and okara) and to produce bioenergy (hydrogen) and bioproducts (volatile acids). This project is linked to the Thematic Project entitled "Application of the Biorefinery Concept to Biological Wastewater Treatment Plants: The Control of Environmental Pollution Allied to the Recovery of Matter and Energy" (Process FAPESP nº 2015/06246-7) contributing to the line research by studying the digestion of soy molasses. In thermophilic and mesophilic conditions, evaluating the variations of applied volumetric organic load and the co-processing with okara. Biohydrogen productivity and yield, and of the reactor stability and efficiency will be evaluated in different organic loads, temperatures (mesophilic and thermophilic conditions), and coprocessing scenarios. Furthermore, the following analyzes will be carried out for a better understanding of the phenomena and full-scale applicability: production estimation (hydrogen and acids) on a full-scale, simplified kinetic analysis of the metabolic route, thermodynamic analysis of biochemical reactions, and microbiological tests using molecular biology. (AU)