Vinasses valorization into short-chain fatty acids: microbiome robustness against process variations

Abstract

The valorization of vinasses into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) via anaerobic fermentation (AF) is an emerging approach that remains under research. Given the diverse microbial metabolisms simultaneously occurring in AF, the control of operational parameters is essential to avoid process destabilization. To unravel their effect, the novelty of this investigation relied on the evaluation of the robustness of AF process against operational perturbation deliberately set (i.e. hydraulic retention time (HRT) and temperature increase). Regardless the applied perturbation, similar yields (0.5–0.6 g COD-SCFAs/g VS_in) were attained. However, the selected perturbations exerted an effect on microbiome development. Whereas the temperature increase mediated a 49.70% microbiome dissimilarity, only a 21.91% dissimilarity was caused by the HRT increase. Microbial analysis revealed Clostridiales, Prevotella and Megasphaera as key bacteria in vinasses degradation. The similar bioconversion obtained despite the different microbiomes developed after each perturbation suggested a functional redundancy highlighting the AF robustness. These findings evidenced AF as a feasible biotechnology to further valorize vinasse into SCFAs, demonstrating the process stability against common perturbations that might be encountered at industrial scale.

Keywords

Short-chain fatty acids / Crop residue / Vinasses / Anaerobic fermentation / Process perturbations / Microbiome robustness / Biological Sciences / Microbiology

References

[1] AbomohraA, FaisalS, EbaidR, HuangJ, WangQ, ElsayedM. Recent advances in anaerobic digestion of lipid-rich waste: challenges and potential of seaweeds to mitigate the inhibitory effect. Chem Eng J, 2022, 449: 137829.

[2] AgnihotriS, YinDM, MahboubiA, SapmazT, VarjaniS, QiaoW, Koseoglu-ImerDY, TaherzadehMJ. A glimpse of the world of volatile fatty acids production and application: A review. Bioengineered, 2022, 13: 1249-1275.

[3] APHA (2023) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 24th ed. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation. Lipps WC, Braun-Howland EB, Baxter TE, eds. APHA. ISBN: 0875530478

[4] BolajiIO, DionisiD. Acidogenic fermentation of vegetable and salad waste for chemicals production: effect of pH buffer and retention time. J Environ Chem Eng, 2017, 5: 5933-5943.

[5] BrazGHR, Fernandez-GonzalezN, LemaJM, CarballaM. Organic overloading affects the microbial interactions during anaerobic digestion in sewage sludge reactors. Chemosphere, 2019, 222: 323-332.

[6] CaporasoJG, KuczynskiJ, BittingerSJ, BushmanK, CostelloFD, FiererEK, PeñaN, GoodrichAG, GordonJK, HuttleyJI, KelleyGA, KnightsST, KoenigD, LeyJE, LozuponeRE, McDonaldCA, MueggeD, PirrungB, ReederM, SevinskyJ, TurnbaughJR, WaltersPJ, WidmannWA, YatsunenkoJ, ZaneveldT, KnightJ. QIIME allows analysis of high-throughput community sequencing data. Nat Methods, 2010, 7: 335-336.

[7] CavinatoC, Da RosC, PavanP, BolzonellaD. Influence of temperature and hydraulic retention on the production of volatile fatty acids during anaerobic fermentation of cow manure and maize silage. Bioresour Technol, 2017, 223: 59-64.

[8] DahiyaS, LingamY, Venkata MohanS. Understanding acidogenesis towards green hydrogen and volatile fatty acid production– Critical analysis and circular economy perspective. Chem Eng J, 2023, 464: 141550.

[9] DuboisM, GillesKA, HamiltonJK, RebersPA, SmithF. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem, 1956, 28: 350-356.

[10] ElsamadonyM, MostafaA, FujiiM, TawfikA, PantD. Advances towards Understanding long chain fatty acids-induced Inhibition and overcoming strategies for efficient anaerobic digestion process. Water Res, 2021, 190: 116732.

[11] EngF, FuessLT, Bovio-WinklerP, EtchebehereC, SakamotoIK, ZaiatM. Optimization of volatile fatty acid production by sugarcane Vinasse dark fermentation using a response surface methodology. Links between performance and microbial community composition. SustainEnergy Technol Assessments, 2022, 53: 102764.

[12] European Parliament. Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources. Eur Comissmion, 2021, 0218: 5-24

[13] Fang HHP, Yu HQ (2000) Effect of HRT on mesophilic acidogenesis of dairy wastewater. J Environ Eng 126, 1145–1148. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2000)126:12(1145)

[14] FAO (2003) Food energy– methods of analysis and conversion factors, food and nutrition paper 77. Report of a technical workshop Rome, 3–6 December 2002. Rome

[15] Ferraz-JúniorADN, EtchebehereC, ZaiatM. Mesophilic hydrogen production in acidogenic packed-bed reactors (APBR) using Raw sugarcane Vinasse as substrate: influence of support materials. Anaerobe, 2015, 34: 94-105.

[16] FitamoT, TreuL, BoldrinA, SartoriC, AngelidakiI, ScheutzC. Microbial population dynamics in urban organic waste anaerobic co-digestion with mixed sludge during a change in feedstock composition and different hydraulic retention times. Water Res, 2017, 118: 261-271.

[17] GresesS, Tomás-PejóE, Gónzalez-FernándezC. Agroindustrial waste as a resource for volatile fatty acids production via anaerobic fermentation. Bioresour Technol, 2020, 297: 122486.

[18] GresesS, Tomás-PejóE, González-FernándezC. Short-chain fatty acids and hydrogen production in one single anaerobic fermentation stage using carbohydrate-rich food waste. J Clean Prod, 2021, 284: 124727.

[19] GresesS, Tomás-PejóE, González-FernándezC. Statistical correlation between waste macromolecular composition and anaerobic fermentation temperature for specific short-chain fatty acid production. Environ Res, 2022, 206: 112288.

[20] GresesS, Tomás-PejóE, González-FernándezC. Assessing the relevance of acidic pH on primary intermediate compounds when targeting at carboxylate accumulation. Biomass Convers Biorefinery, 2022, 12: 4519-4529.

[21] HammerØ, HarperDAT, RyanPD. PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol Electron, 2001, 4: 1-9.

[22] International Energy Agency (2021) Net zero by 2050: A roadmap for the global energy sector. Int Energy Agency 224

[23] JiangX, QinZ, FengL, ChenY, ChenJ, ZhangX, ZhangZ, GuoY, SunJ. Volatile fatty acids production from waste activated sludge during anaerobic fermentation: the effect of superfine sand. Bioresour Technol, 2021, 319: 124249.

[24] KovalovszkiA, TreuL, EllegaardL, LuoG, AngelidakiI. Modeling temperature response in bioenergy production: novel solution to a common challenge of anaerobic digestion. Appl Energy, 2020, 263: 114646.

[25] LiY, JinY, BorrionA, LiH, LiJ. Effects of organic composition on the anaerobic biodegradability of food waste. Bioresour Technol, 2017, 243: 836-845.

[26] LiQ, LiuY, YangX, ZhangJ, LuB, ChenR. Kinetic and thermodynamic effects of temperature on methanogenic degradation of acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate. Chem Eng J, 2020, 396: 125366.

[27] Liu E, Xiao W, Pu Q, Xu L, Wang L, Mao K, Hong W, Qu M, Xue F (2022) Microbial and metabolomic insights into the bovine lipometabolic responses of rumen and mammary gland to zymolytic small peptide supplementation. Front Vet Sci 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.875741

[28] LlamasM, GresesS, Tomás-PejóE, González-FernándezC. Carboxylic acids production via anaerobic fermentation: microbial communities’ responses to Stepwise and direct hydraulic retention time decrease. Bioresour Technol, 2022, 344: 126282.

[29] LvZ, LyuP, LiK, SongF, ZhangZ, YangY, YuH. High temperature shock threatens methane production via disturbing microbial interactions in anaerobic digestion. Sci Total Environ, 2022, 846: 157459.

[30] LvN, CaiG, PanX, LiY, WangR, LiJ, LiC, ZhuG. pH and hydraulic retention time regulation for anaerobic fermentation: focus on volatile fatty acids production/distribution, microbial community succession and interactive correlation. Bioresour Technol, 2022, 347: 126310.

[31] MagdalenaJA, LlamasM, Tomás-PejóE, González-FernándezC. Semicontinuous anaerobic digestion of protease pretreated Chlorella biomass for volatile fatty acids production. J Chem Technol Biotechnol, 2019, 94: 1861-1869.

[32] MagdalenaJA, GresesS, González-FernándezC. Valorisation of bioethanol production residues through anaerobic digestion: methane production and microbial communities. Sci Total Environ, 2021, 772: 144954.

[33] Mohammadi ShadZ, VenkitasamyC, WenZ. Corn distillers dried grains with solubles: production, properties, and potential uses. Cereal Chem, 2021, 98: 999-1019.

[34] Mota V, Delforno TP, Ribeiro J, Zaiat M, de Oliveira V (2023) Understanding Microbiome dynamics and functional responses during acidogenic fermentation of sucrose and sugarcane Vinasse through metatranscriptomic analysis. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4633229. SSRN

[35] NakasakiK, KhacK, BallesterosFC, MaekawaT, KoyamaM. Characterizing the microbial community involved in anaerobic digestion of lipid-rich wastewater to produce methane gas. Anaerobe, 2020, 61: 102082.

[36] NieE, HeP, ZhangH, HaoL, ShaoL, LüF. How does temperature regulate anaerobic digestion?. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2021, 150: 111453.

[37] NishioN, NakashimadaY. Recent development of anaerobic digestion processes for energy recovery from wastes. J Biosci Bioeng, 2007, 103: 105-112.

[38] NizMK, EtcheletI, FuentesL, EtchebehereC, ZaiatM. Extreme thermophilic condition: an alternative for long-term biohydrogen production from sugarcane Vinasse. Int J Hydrogen Energy, 2019, 44: 22876-22887.

[39] PecesM, AstalsS, JensenPD, ClarkeWP. Transition of microbial communities and degradation pathways in anaerobic digestion at decreasing retention time. New Biotechnol, 2021, 60: 52-61.

[40] PittaDW, InduguN, VecchiarelliB, RicoDE, HarvatineKJ. Alterations in ruminal bacterial populations at induction and recovery from diet-induced milk fat depression in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci, 2018, 101: 295-309.

[41] RasitN, IdrisA, HarunR, Wan Ab Karim GhaniWA. Effects of lipid Inhibition on biogas production of anaerobic digestion from oily effluents and sludges: an overview. Renew Sustain Energy Re, 2015, 45: 351-358.

[42] RegueiraA, BevilacquaR, LemaJ, CarballaM, Mauricio-IglesiasM. A metabolic model for targeted volatile fatty acids production by cofermentation of carbohydrates and proteins. Bioresour Technol, 2020, 298: 122535.

[43] RheeC, ParkSG, YuS, Il, DalantaiT, ShinJ, ChaeKJ, ShinSG. Mapping microbial dynamics in anaerobic digestion system linked with organic composition of substrates: protein and lipid. Energy, 2023, 275: 127411.

[44] RicoX, YáñezR, GullónB. Evaluation of strategies for enhanced bioethanol production from melon Peel waste. Fuel, 2023, 334: 126710.

[45] SarkarO, KumarAN, DahiyaS, KrishnaKV, YeruvaDK, MohanSV. Regulation of acidogenic metabolism towards enhanced short chain fatty acid biosynthesis from waste: metagenomic profiling. RSC Adv, 2016, 6: 18641-18653.

[46] SilvaAFR, BrasilYL, KochK, AmaralMCS. Resource recovery from sugarcane Vinasse by anaerobic digestion– A review. J Environ Manage, 2021, 295: 113137.

[47] StrazzeraG, BattistaF, GarciaNH, FrisonN, BolzonellaD. Volatile fatty acids production from food wastes for biorefinery platforms: A review. J Environ Manage, 2018, 226: 278-288.

[48] Szabo-CorbachoMA, Pacheco-RuizS, MíguezD, HooijmansCM, GarcíaHA, BrdjanovicD, van LierJB. Impact of solids retention time on the biological performance of an AnMBR treating lipid-rich synthetic dairy wastewater. Environ Technol, 2021, 42: 597-608.

[49] WuY, YueX, ZhouA, SongX, SuB, CaoF, DingJ. Simultaneous recovery of short-chain fatty acids and phosphorus during lipid-rich anaerobic fermentation with sodium hydroxide conditioning. Chemosphere, 2023, 312: 137227.

[50] YoshikawaS, AraokaR, KajiharaY, ItoT, MiyamotoH, KodamaH. Valerate production by Megasphaera elsdenii isolated from pig feces. J Biosci Bioeng, 2018, 125: 519-524.

[51] ZhangW, LangQ, PanZ, JiangY, LiebetrauJ, NellesM, DongH, DongR. Performance evaluation of a novel anaerobic digestion operation process for treating high-solids content chicken manure: effect of reduction of the hydraulic retention time at a constant organic loading rate. Waste Manag, 2017, 64: 340-347.

[52] ZhuoG, YanY, TanX, DaiX, ZhouQ. Ultrasonic-pretreated waste activated sludge hydrolysis and volatile fatty acid accumulation under alkaline conditions: effect of temperature. J Biotechnol, 2012, 159: 27-31.

Funding

Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación(CEX2019-000931- M)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)