Abstract
The glucan-rich fraction, hemicellulosic compounds-rich fraction, and a mixture of both fractions obtained from organosolv pretreatment of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) were used as substrates to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in acidogenic fermentation. In this study, the effects of medium adjustment (carbon to nitrogen ratio and trace elements supplementation) and methanogenesis inhibition (through the addition of 2-bromoethanesulfonate or by heat shock) to enhance VFAs yield were investigated. The highest VFA yield was 0.50 ± 0.00 g VFAs/g volatile solid (VS), which was obtained when methanogens were inhibited by heat shock and cultivated in a mixture of glucan-rich and hemicellulosic compounds-rich fractions. Under these conditions, the fermentation produced acetic acid as the only VFA. Based on the results, the mass balance of the whole process (from pretreatment and fermentation) showed the possibility to obtain 30.4 kg acetic acid and 20.3 kg lignin with a 70% purity from 100 kg OPEFB.
Highlights
The increasing global demand for vegetable oils promotes palm oil production since it has the lowest production cost [1] and a relatively high productivity [2]
To obtain high volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production, acidogenic fermentation in which VFAs are produced needs to be boosted by inhibiting methanogenesis through adding chemicals or heat-shock treatment
The results showed that a C/N ratio adjustment was needed to achieve the highest yield of VFAs during acidogenic fermentation of Avicel
Summary
The increasing global demand for vegetable oils promotes palm oil production since it has the lowest production cost [1] and a relatively high productivity [2]. The typical treatment for OPEFB includes composting [6], combustion [7], or dumping in a landfill [8]. The composting of OPEFB is a relatively slow biological process, and it is inadequate to manage the enormous amount of OPEFB produced. The combustion of OPEFB generates fly ash as an air pollutant [9] and produces corrosive materials that damage the superheater [10]. The fact that palm oil production in Indonesia is concentrated in a few provinces [12] can be used as an advantage for valorization in view of reduced transportation costs
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