Chapter 12 - Volatile fatty acids production during anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) can be obtained from lignocellulosic agroindustrial wastes, sludge, and various biodegradable organic wastes as key intermediates through dark fermentation processes and chemical routes. In recent days, biobased VFAs production is receiving great attention due to the increase of market demand, potential applications, and its cost-effective and ecofriendly approach. The VFAs production during anaerobic mixed culture fermentation (MCF) is being considered as an alternative to the intensive exploitation of oil resources. The VFAs production from the wastes biomass is of zero or even negative cost, yielding VFA as an intermediate product which are the platform chemicals for various bioproducts. This chapter described the VFAs production during anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomasses (LCBs). The effects of several process parameters such as pH, temperature, retention time, type of substrate and inoculums on better production VFAs and composition were discussed. The applications of VFAs as a critical substrate and platform chemicals for the production of biodegradable plastics and bioenergy and its role biological nutrient removal processes were discussed. However, there are still few strategies needs to be focused on the enhanced biobased VFAs production and recovery.