A Novel and Green Method for Turning Food Waste into Environmentally-Friendly Organic Deicing Salts: Enhanced VFA Production through AnMBR

In order to improve the production efficiency of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic fermentation of food waste and reduce the cost for the production of organic deicing salt (ODS), ceramic microfiltration (MF) membrane separation was applied in the conventional food waste fermenter to build an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). Results showed that the maximum VFA concentration in AnMBR was up to 55.37 g/L. Due to the fact that the MF membrane could realize in situ separation of VFAs, the recovery of VFAs could reach 95.0%; 66.6% higher than that of traditional fermentation reactors. After the application of the MF membrane, more than 20.0% of soluble COD, 40.0% of proteins, and 50.0% of polysaccharides were retained and more than 90.0% of VFAs could be transferred in a timely fashion in the AnMBR system. In addition, the enrichment effect of the MF membrane enhanced enzymatic activities such as protease, α-Glucosidase and acetate kinase, and increased the abundance of some important bacteria for organic acid generation such as Amphibacter, Peptoniphilus and Halomonas, which made a significant contribution to the yield of VFAs. After concentration, evaporation and crystallization, the melting efficiency of obtained ODS can reach more than 90.0% in chloride salts, which was 112.0% of commercial calcium magnesium acetate (CMA). When compared to chloride salts and CMA, ODS was more environmentally-friendly as it can reduce the corrosion of carbon steel and concrete significantly. This study created a new way of converting food waste into a high-value organic deicing agent, realizing the resource utilization of solid waste and reducing the production cost of organic deicing agents.

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From Food Waste to Volatile Fatty Acids towards a Circular Economy

10.5772/intechopen.96542 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mónica Carvalheira ◽

Anouk F. Duque

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Food Waste ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Anaerobic Fermentation ◽

Industrial Sector ◽

Added Value ◽

Microbial Cultures ◽

Mixed Microbial Cultures

The food industrial sector generates large amounts of waste, which are often used for animal feed, for agriculture or landfilled. However, these wastes have a very reach composition in carbon and other compounds, which make them very attractive for valorization through biotechnological processes. Added value compounds, such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), can be produced by anaerobic fermentation using pure cultures or mixed microbial cultures and food waste as carbon source. Research on valuable applications for VFAs, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, bioenergy or biological nutrient removal, towards a circular economy is emerging. This enhances the sustainability and the economic value of food waste. This chapter reviews the various types of food waste used for VFAs production using mixed microbial cultures, the anaerobic processes, involved and the main applications for the produced VFAs. The main parameters affecting VFAs production are also discussed.

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Enhanced volatile fatty acids production from anaerobic fermentation of food waste: A mini-review focusing on acidogenic metabolic pathways

Bioresource Technology ◽

10.1016/j.biortech.2017.06.121 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 248 ◽

pp. 68-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 158

Author(s):

Miaomiao Zhou ◽

Binghua Yan ◽

Jonathan W.C. Wong ◽

Yang Zhang

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Food Waste ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Anaerobic Fermentation

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Volatile Fatty Acid Production from Food Waste Leachate Using Enriched Bacterial Culture and Soil Bacteria as Co-Digester

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13179606 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 9606

Author(s):

Van Hong Thi Pham ◽

Jeongyoon Ahn ◽

Jaisoo Kim ◽

Sangbeom Lee ◽

Ingyu Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Soil Bacteria ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Anaerobic Fermentation ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Solid Content ◽

Fatty Acid Production ◽

Total Solid Content ◽

Food Waste Leachate ◽

Waste Leachate

The production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from waste stream has been recently getting attention as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach in mechanical–biological treatment plants. This is the first study to explore the use of a functional bacterium, AM5 isolated from forest soil, which is capable of enhancing the production of VFAs in the presence of soil bacteria as a co-digester in non-strict anaerobic fermentation processes of food waste leachates. Batch laboratory-scale trials were conducted under thermophilic conditions at 55 °C and different pH values ranging from approximately 5 to 11, as well as under uncontrolled pH for 15 days. Total solid content (TS) and volatile solid content (VS) were observed with 58.42% and 65.17% removal, respectively. An effluent with a VFA concentration of up to 33,849 mg/L (2365.57 mg/g VS; 2244.45 mg/g chemical oxygen demand (COD)-VFA VS; 1249 mg/g VSremoved) was obtained at pH 10.5 on the second day of the batch culture. The pH resulted in a significant effect on VFA concentration and composition at various values. Additionally, all types of VFAs were produced under pH no-adjustment (approximately 5) and at pH 10.5. This research might lead to interesting questions and ideas for further studies on the complex metabolic pathways of microbial communities in the mixture of a soil solution and food waste leachate.

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