Sugar Beet Processing Research Articles

Balancing pH for enhanced bacterial community performance in microbial fuel cells: implications for bio-electricity generation and pollutant reduction

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising technology to generate bio-electricity and synchronously reduce wastewater pollutants. The presence of exoelectrogens in wastewater is critical for bio-electricity and pollutant reduction, but the performance of exoelectrogens at different pH levels remains unknown. This study aims to bridge this gap by offering an integrated approach to understanding the performance of exoelectrogens under varying substrate pH, particularly in bio-electricity generation and pollutant reduction in sugarbeet processing wastewater (SBWW). Three pH levels (ranging from acidic to alkaline) were studied and MFC's electricity output was measured. Later, current density, power density, and coulombic efficiency (CE) were calculated. Both pre- and post-experiment substrate samples were analysed with inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene analysis, DNA amplification, sequencing library preparation, and bioinformatics workflows on post-experiment samples of the substrate and anode samples were conducted. A diverse community of microorganisms was identified, especially Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria (Geobacter). Bacteroidetes and Desulfovibrio were the major exoelectrogens responsible for electricity generation. Among the three pH levels tested, the most alkaline pH level (9.5±0.1) outperformed the others, achieving a 54% higher power density, 21% greater current density, and a 40% higher CE compared to the acidic pH level (6.5±0.1). Around 50–99% of pollutants were removed from the SBWW. The study revealed that Gammaproteobacteria thrive and perform better in alkaline environment.

Optimization of bioethanol production from sugar beet processing by-product molasses using response surface methodology

AbstractBioethanol production from renewable biomass sources has garnered significant interest due to its potential as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. In this study, we investigated the optimization of bioethanol production from molasses, a by-product of the sugar production process using Saccharomyces cerevisiae through Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Initially, the fermentation process was optimized using RSM, considering four independent variables: substrate concentration, pH, temperature, and fermentation time. Subsequently, the effects of these variables on bioethanol yield were evaluated, and a quadratic model was developed to predict the optimum conditions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a high coefficient of determination (R2) for the model, suggesting its adequacy for prediction. The optimized conditions for bioethanol production were determined as follows: substrate concentration of 200 g L−1, pH of 5.0, temperature of 30 °C and fermentation time of 72 h. Under these conditions, the predicted bioethanol yield was 84%. Overall, this study demonstrates the successful application of RSM for optimizing bioethanol production from molasses using S. cerevisiae, highlighting its potential as a promising feedstock for biofuel production.

Secondary raw materials for sugar production and directions for its processing

The article is devoted to a review of literature data on the problem of environmental safety of sugar production. The main types of waste generated during sugar production are considered. Some areas of processing and disposal of sugar production waste, such as beet pulp, filter cake, molasses, beet tailings, and wastewater, are given. Beet pulp is mainly dried and used to manufacture feed for farm animals. It can be used to obtain powdered semi-finished products in the food industry and the production of fertilizers. Filtration sediment is used to improve the quality of the soil-biotic complex of leached chernozem. Molasses is also a byproduct of sugar production, containing about 50% sucrose. Therefore, it becomes advisable to extract sugar from molasses, subject to economic benefits. Inexpensive and uncomplicated methods for removing sugar from molasses include lime separation, precipitation of sucrose using acetic acid, and barite and strontium methods for extracting sugar from molasses. Wastewater from sugar factories can be used for irrigation. However, given that the sugar beet processing season does not coincide with the growing season, to irrigate fields with wastewater, it is necessary to build unique storage ponds, settling tanks, and pumping and irrigation systems, which require additional costs. Another type of waste is generated when sugar beets are processed: beet tailings. This type of waste is usually used to obtain additional sugar or feed farm animals. The tailings are collected on a rotary beet catcher, passed through a sorting classifier, and sent for processing. The fine fraction is sent with the pulp for dehydration or to pulp pits for feeding livestock.

Sustainable production of heavy metal-binding levan by a subarctic permafrost thaw lake Pseudomonas strain 2ASCA

Pseudomonas strain 2ASCA isolated in subarctic Québec, Canada, produced a cell membrane bound levan-type exopolymer (yield 1.17 g/L), after incubation in growth media containing 6 % sucrose (w/v) at temperature of 15 °C for 96 h. The objective of this study was to optimize levan production by varying the growth parameters. Moreover, the polymer's chemical characterization has been studied with the aim of increasing knowledge and leading to future applications in many fields, including heavy metal remediation. Higher levan yields (7.37 g/L) were reached by setting up microbial fermentation conditions based on the re-use of the molasses obtained from sugar beet processing. Spectroscopy analyses confirmed the levan-type nature of the exopolymer released by strain 2ASCA, consisting of a β-(2,6)-linked fructose repeating unit. Gel permeation chromatography revealed that the polymer has a molecular weight of 13 MDa. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) showed that the levan sequestered with a strong affinity Cr(III), which has never been previously reported, highlighting an interesting biosorption potential. In addition, SEM analysis revealed the formation of nanoparticles in acidified water solution.

Hot-air drying vs. lyophilization of sugar beet flakes for efficient pectin recovery and influence of extraction conditions on pectin physicochemical properties

This study assessed the influence of drying pretreatment and extraction conditions (type of acid and particle size of plant material) on the yield and physicochemical properties of pectin from sugar beet flakes resulted as by-product of sugar beet processing in the sugar industry. The results indicated that the drying conditions (hot-air drying and lyophilization) affected the extraction yield, the chemical composition of pectin, its color, degree of methylation and acetylation, molecular weight, and its rheological and emulsifying properties. The best results for pectin yield (16.20%), galacturonic acid content (91.19 g/100 g), degree of methylation and acetylation (66.93 and 23.87%), and molecular weight (3.89 × 105 g/mol) were obtained when sugar beet flakes were pretreated by hot-air drying, and the extraction was made with citric acid using plant material with particle sizes of 125–200 μm. This pectin also had high emulsion activity (51.42%) and emulsion stability (88.03%). The FT-IR spectra were similar, while pectin thermal behavior was affected by the drying pretreatment and extraction conditions. The results of this study showed that from this by-product of the sugar industry it can be extracted high quality pectin with rheological and emulsifying properties that are superior to commercial citrus and apple pectin.

Itaconate Production from Crude Substrates with U. maydis: Scale-up of an Industrially Relevant Bioprocess

BackgroundIndustrial by-products accrue in most agricultural or food-related production processes, but additional value chains have already been established for many of them. Crude glycerol has a 60% lower market value than commercial glucose, as large quantities are produced in the biodiesel industry, but its valorisation is still underutilized. Due to its high carbon content and the natural ability of many microorganisms to metabolise it, microbial upcycling is a suitable option for this waste product.ResultsIn this work, the use of crude glycerol for the production of the value-added compound itaconate is demonstrated using the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Starting with a highly engineered strain, itaconate production from an industrial glycerol waste stream was quickly established on a small scale, and the resulting yields were already competitive with processes using commercial sugars. Adaptive laboratory evolution resulted in an evolved strain with a 72% increased growth rate on glycerol. In the subsequent development and optimisation of a fed-batch process on a 1.5-2 L scale, the use of molasses, a side stream of sugar beet processing, eliminated the need for other expensive media components such as nitrogen or vitamins for biomass growth. The optimised process was scaled up to 150 L, achieving an overall titre of 72 g L− 1, a yield of 0.34 g g− 1, and a productivity of 0.54 g L− 1 h− 1.ConclusionsPilot-scale itaconate production from the complementary waste streams molasses and glycerol has been successfully established. In addition to achieving competitive performance indicators, the proposed dual feedstock strategy offers lower process costs and carbon footprint for the production of bio-based itaconate.

Comparing Variations of the Greedy Strategy to Find the Optimal Sugar Beet Processing Schedule

The article presents a mathematical model of sugar beet processing and finding the optimal schedule for this processing. Such task, with fully known data, reduces to a well-known assignment problem. However, in many applied problems of discrete optimization, it is not possible to use classical methods to find a solution in practice. This happens as a result of the fact that when setting the task at the initial moment of time, there is no complete information about some data. For example, in the assignment problem, information about the matrix on the basis of which the objective function is constructed may be incomplete. As a result, in practice it is necessary to search for heuristic algorithms for various possible situations. In particular, the greedy algorithm, as well as its various variations, claims to be such an algorithm. Computational experiment is being conducted that allows us to understand which of the variations of the greedy algorithm give an acceptable result when building an optimal schedule strategy for processing sugar beet batches.

A neural network approach to predicting the quality indicators of the purification department of a sugar factory

The article proposes a model of the defecosaturation department of a sugar beet processing plant based on a neural network, which predicts the main indicators of the efficiency of diffusion juice purification. The predictive model allows you to adjust the operation mode of the department by analyzing the unmeasured qualitative indicator of the purification effect. The developed model also predicts the color of the semi-finished product, as well as the loss of sugar in the filter cake I and II saturation with an error of less than 5%. Unlike existing solutions, forecasting is performed in real time using a set of indicators of an automation system and an industrial laboratory. A predictive neural network model is an MLP universal for approximating non-linear complex functions with many variables. The model has 32 inputs, 4 outputs and one hidden layer with 23 neurons. The main technological variables from the automation system – temperatures, flow rates, pressure, pH in the apparatus, as well as from the industrial laboratory – alkalinity, SO content in the saturation gas will be fed into the network input. This allows to increase the informative support of the operator-technologist regarding the quality indicators of the enterprise without additional load on the industrial laboratory and without additional cost automatic quality devices.

Влияние применения дефеката на вредоносность проволочников и продуктивность подсолнечника в Краснодарском крае

Larvae of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are wireworms, one of the most spreading polyphagous soil pests damaging the agricultural crops, including sunflower. They prefer soils having pH from 5.6–6.0 to 4.5–5.0 and humus content more than 3.3%. Liming is the primary means to optimized reaction of a soil solution. In 2016–2018, in the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, influence of filter cake (lime organic and mineral fertilizers produced after sugar beet processing) application in doses 3.9 and 5.9 t/ha on damaging of sunflower seedlings by larvae of beetles from an Elateridae family (wireworms) and crop productivity. The dry filter cake in the studied doses introduced 30 days before sunflower planting with further incorporation into the physically mature soil by tillers “Krot” on a depth of 12–15 cm decreased significantly a number of wireworms – from 15–21 (in control) to 6–10 pcs/m2. Thinning of sunflower crops due to wireworm damages on average reached 53.3% in control, as plant death in variants with application of an organic and mineral fertilizer in doses of 3.9 and 5.9 t/ha was at a level of 31.6 and 26.7%, respectively. The filter cake application in doses of 3.9 and 5.9 t/ha allowed obtaining yield increase of 0.86–0.87 t/ha. Oil content in sunflower seeds in these variants was equal to 51.3–52.1%.

Evaluation of the effect of sugar mud and organic fertilizers on the productivity of sugar beets in the conditions of Podillia

The application of lime fertilizer “defecation” on acidic and slightly acidic soils has a multifaceted positive effect, eliminating excessive acidity, and creating optimal environmental conditions for agricultural plants and soil microorganisms, increases the water resistance of structural soil aggregates, which determines favourable water and air modes, increases the accumulation of phosphorus, potassium. The goal is to investigate the influence of sugar mud and organic fertilizers on the productivity of sugar beets in the conditions of Podillia. In the presented study was carried out using such methods as field, measuring and weighing, laboratory, statistical. According to the results of the experiment, it was determined that the productivity of sugar beets increased depending on the doses of applied fertilizers. Thus, with the application of 2.0 Hr of sugar mud, the yield increase amounted to 15.27 t/ha. The combination of organic fertilizer and sugar mud 2.0 Hr had the strongest effect on productivity – 29.41 t/ha. The collection of sugar increased according to the experimental variants mainly due to the increase in yield. The increase in digestion was insignificant: from 0.08 to 0.56% according to the experiment variants. The segment of crop production will be profitable due to the drivers of the volume of the harvested crop. The side economic effect of the application of this measure will be to obtain a larger sugar harvest per hectare, which will allow to obtain a larger profit from the processing of sugar beets into sugar. The practical value of the research lies in the formation of recommendations for farms and agricultural enterprises growing sugar beet on acidic and slightly acidic soils in order to increase its productivity

Biphasic Bioceramic Obtained from Byproducts of Sugar Beet Processing for Use in Bioactive Coatings and Bone Fillings.

This study focuses on developing hydroxyapatite synthesized from a CaCO3-rich byproduct of sugar beet processing called Carbocal® using a hydrothermal reactor. The purpose of this biomaterial is to enhance the osteoinductivity of implantable surfaces and serve as a bone filler, providing a sustainable and economically more affordable alternative. This research involved compositional analysis and micro- and macrostructural physicochemical characterization, complemented with bioactivity and live/dead assays. The biphasic nature of the Carbocal®-derived sample was significant within the context of the bioactivity concept previously proposed in the literature. The bioactivity of the biomaterial was demonstrated through a viability test, where the cell growth was nearly equivalent to that of the positive control. For comparison purposes, the same tests were conducted with two additional samples: hydroxyapatite obtained from CaCO3 and commercial hydroxyapatite. The resulting product of this process is biocompatible and possesses properties similar to natural hydroxyapatite. Consequently, this biomaterial shows potential as a scaffold in tissue engineering and as an adhesive filler to promote bone regeneration within the context of the circular bioeconomy in the geographical area proposed.

Filter cake extract from the beet sugar industry as an economic growth medium for the production of Spirulina platensis as a microbial cell factory for protein

BackgroundBeet filter cake (BFC) is a by-product of sugar beet processing, which is difficult to dispose of and involves severe environmental concerns. Spirulina platensis is a microalga with a high protein content essential for human and animal nutrition. The present study aimed to utilize the beet filter cake extract (BFCE) to produce Spirulina platensis commercially. However, the cultivation of S. platensis on BFCE to produce economically single-cell protein has not been reported previously.ResultsThe batch experiment revealed the maximum dry weight at Zarrouk’s medium (0.4 g/L) followed by 0.34 g/L in the treatment of 75% BFCE. The highest protein content was 50% in Zarrouk’s medium, followed by 46.5% in 25% BFCE. However, adding a higher concentration of 100% BFCE led to a protein content of 31.1%. In the adaption experiment, S platensis showed an increase in dry cell weight and protein content from 25 to 75% BFCE (0.69 g/L to 1.12 g/L and 47.0% to 52.54%, respectively) with an insignificant variation compared to Zarrouk’s medium (p ≤ 0.05), indicating that S. platensis can be economically produced when cultivated on 75% BFCE The predicated parameters from response surface methodology were NaNO3 (2.5 g/L), NaHCO3 (0.67 g/L), BFCE (33%) and pH = 8, which resulted in biomass yield and protein content (0.56 g/L and 52.5%, respectively) closer to that achieved using the standard Zarrouk’s medium (0.6 g/L and 55.11%). Moreover, the total essential amino acid content was slightly higher in the optimized medium (38.73%) than SZM (36.98%).ConclusionsTherefore, BFCE supplemented medium could be used as a novel low-cost alternative growth medium for producing a single-cell protein with acceptable quantity and quality compared to the standard Zarrouk’s medium.Graphical

Biotechnological valorization of sugar beet wastes into value-added products

The sugar beet processing in the sugar production industry releases huge amounts of sugar beet pulp, lime residue, and molasses, which can be considered a valuable by-product as a source of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Sugar beet pulp is often used as a high-energy, low-protein supplement for ruminants to promote optimal rumen health and increase milk production. However, it cannot be used in large quantities and is thrown away, causing environmental pollution. Valorizing sugar beet processing wastes via biotechnological approaches into value-added products is cost-effective and eco-friendly. In this article, recent developments in the biotechnological valorization of sugar beet byproducts to produce biofuels, bioethanol, butanol, biomass and platform chemicals such as gluconic acid, lactic acid, rhamnolipid biosurfactant, and endo-polygalacturonase were reviewed, and the methods provide a way to save the environment. Several sugar beet processing plants in the Kyrgyz Republic can offer these methods as a roadmap for value-added production.

Evaluation of the efficiency of sugar beet processing strategies based on the data of the Sergach Sugar Factory

This study is devoted to evaluation of the effectiveness of sugar beet processing strategies, considering the factor of reducing the purity of sugar-containing solutions as a result of long-term storage of raw materials in the conditions of a specific manufacturer - Sergach Sugar Factory. The purpose of the work is to formulate recommendations on the selection of the most effective strategy for manufacturers based on assessments of the effectiveness of various sugar beet processing strategies. As a result of the study, the effectiveness of two heuristic strategies for sugar beet processing was evaluated - “greedy” and “thrifty”. The implementation of both strategies does not require a priori knowledge of all information about changes in the chemical composition of raw materials during storage and is based on current information about the characteristics of the remaining batches of raw materials to the current moment. The “greedy” strategy involves processing the batch of raw materials that currently gives the highest sugar yield, and the “thrifty strategy” - the batch that gives the minimum yield. The efficiency was evaluated by comparing the loss in sugar yield from the implementation of a heuristic strategy compared to the absolute optimum. When calculating the estimated sugar yield, data on the sugar content of various batches of beets and the purity of sugar-containing solutions in the conditions of the Sergach Sugar Factory in 2021 were considered. As a result of the study, it is shown that the “thrifty” strategy has small advantages compared to the “greedy” one. Thus, when choosing a recycling processing in practice, it is better to give preference to the “thrifty” strategy. This makes it possible to increase the total sugar production per season by 100 tons.

Sugar beet processing waste as a substrate for yeast protein production for livestock feed

This study investigated the optimal yeast strains for producing single cell protein based on waste sugar beet pulp (SBP) under various biomass loads. All tested strains were capable of growing on the waste biomass. Candida utilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol Red produced the greatest increase in protein on fresh SBP (ΔN 1.84%). Scheffersomyces stipitis (ΔN 2.27%) provided the highest increase on dried SBP. All tested strains showed significant assimilation of nitrogenous compounds. Based on the crude fiber content after fermentation, the largest reduction in fiber occurred with Candida utilis R6 (10.5%) on fresh SBP, and Yarrowia lipolytica (13.1%) on dried SBP. These results demonstrate the potential of SBP as a substrate for the production of single cell protein and highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate strains to optimize the process.

Comparative study on biohydrogen production by newly isolated Clostridium butyricum SP4 and Clostridium beijerinckii SP6

The hydrogen-producing bacteria SP4 and SP6 were isolated from the compost and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium beijerinckii, respectively. A comparative study on the biohydrogen-producing activity of the isolated strains was carried out using mono-, di- and tri-saccharides belonging to both hexoses (maltose, glucose, mannose, fructose, lactose, galactose, sucrose, raffinose, cellobiose) and pentoses (xylose). To assess the biotechnological significance, real wastewater rich in sugars (cheese whey, confectionery wastewater, sugar beet processing wastewater) was also used as a substrate. C. butyricum SP4 fermented sugars with a yield of 0.93–1.52 mol H2/mol hexose (pentose); the maximum yield was obtained from fructose, the minimum – from raffinose and cellobiose. The most preferred substrate for C. beijerinckii SP6 was sucrose with a yield of 1.76 mol H2/mol hexose, while cellobiose yielded only 0.64 mol H2/mol hexose. Overall, the efficiency of converting wastewater to H2 by C. butyricum SP4 was also slightly lower (66–93 ml H2/g chemical oxygen demand (COD)) than that of C. beijerinckii SP6 (76–103 ml H2/g COD). Even though the main soluble metabolite products (SMPs) for both isolates were acetate and butyrate, C. butyricum SP4 also produced a significant amount of ethanol (up to 21.5% of SMPs) and formate (up to 32.5% of SMPs), and C. beijerinckii SP6 – lactate (up to 25% of SMPs). A distinctive feature of C. beijerinckii SP6 was a significantly lower (almost 2 times) yield of SMPs, while C. butyricum SP4 had a higher rate of H2 production according to the results obtained from the kinetic study using the modified Gompertz equation and the first order equation. Analysis of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients revealed a statistically significant relationship between the kinetic parameters of H2 production and the concentration of butyrate and the final pH of the medium for C. butyricum SP4, and with the concentration of ethanol for C. beijerinckii SP6. These findings provide valuable information on the metabolic capabilities of the most studied hydrogen-producing representatives of the Clostridium genus for their use in optimizing the technology for biohydrogen production by dark fermentation of various organic wastes.

Reactive Extraction of Betaine from Sugarbeet Processing Byproducts.

Betaine from natural sources is still preferred over its synthetic analogue in secondary industries. It is currently obtained by expensive separation means, which is one of the main reasons for its high cost. In this study, reactive extraction of betaine from sugarbeet industry byproducts, that is, molasses and vinasse, was investigated. Dinonylnaphthalenedisulfonic acid (DNNDSA) was used as the extraction agent, and the initial concentration of betaine in the aqueous solutions of byproducts was adjusted to 0.1 M. Although maximum efficiencies were obtained at unadjusted pH values (pH 6, 5, and 6 for aqueous betaine, molasses, and vinasse solutions, respectively), the effect of aqueous pH on betaine extraction was negligible in the range of 2-12. The possible reaction mechanisms between betaine and DNNDSA under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions were discussed. Increasing the extractant concentration significantly increased (especially in the range of 0.1-0.4 M) the yields, and temperature positively (but slightly) affected betaine extraction. The highest extraction efficiencies (∼71.5, 71, and 67.5% in a single step for aqueous betaine, vinasse, and molasses solutions, respectively) were obtained with toluene as an organic phase solvent, and it was followed by dimethyl phthalate, 1-octanol, or methyl isobutyl ketone, indicating that the efficiency increased with decreasing polarity. Recoveries from pure betaine solutions were higher (especially at higher pH values and [DNNDSA] < 0.5 M) than those from vinasse and molasses solutions, indicating the adverse influence of byproduct constituents; however, the lower yields were not due to sucrose. Stripping was affected by the type of organic phase solvent, and a significant amount (66-91% in single step) of betaine in the organic phase was transferred to the second aqueous phase using NaOH as the stripping agent. Reactive extraction has a great potential for use in betaine recovery due to its high efficiency, simplicity, low energy demand, and cost.

The role of polysaccharides in sugar beet processing

The processing of sugar beet, in particularly the purification of the extracted raw juice, can be significantly hindered by the presence of polysaccharides like pectin and dextran in the extracted juice. The origin of these polysaccharides in beet processing, as well as how their presence in the raw juice affects processing will be explained. Preventive and process control measures can be applied in order to largely limit the risk that the content of these polysaccharides gets at a level where they adversely affect beet processing.

Tare Soil Disinfestation from Cyst Nematodes Using Inundation.

The dissemination of soil tares in the potato and sugar beet processing industry is one of the main paths for the spread of potato cyst nematodes (PCN), a severe quarantine pest. Efficient measures for the disinfestation of tare soil from PCN, but also from beet cyst nematodes (BCN), are needed. In our study, Globodera pallida (a PCN) and Heterodera schachtii (a BCN) cysts were sealed in gauze bags and imbedded in sedimentation basins. The cysts were either placed (a) in a presedimentation basin (Brukner basin) for three days, (b) in the presedimentation basin for three days and subsequently in sedimentation basins for nine weeks or (c) in sedimentation basins for nine weeks (without presedimentation). We tested the viability of the eggs and juveniles by hatching assays and using the reproduction rates in bioassays. We demonstrated that PCN and BCN imbedded in a sedimentation basin were only still showing some hatching activity after 2.5 weeks, while no hatching was observed when an additional Brukner basin treatment was conducted before sedimentation.

The application of biofertilizers improves sugar beet biofortification in clay loam soils and reduces sugar losses in beet sugar processing

The application of biofertilizers improves sugar beet biofortification in clay loam soils and reduces sugar losses in beet sugar processing