A review of volatile fatty acids production from organic wastes: Intensification techniques and separation methods

Shushuang Sun; Xuemei Wang; Shikun Cheng; Yuxin Lei; Wenjin Sun; Kexin Wang; Zifu Li

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121062

A review of volatile fatty acids production from organic wastes: Intensification techniques and separation methods

J Environ Manage. 2024 May 10:360:121062. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121062. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shushuang Sun¹, Xuemei Wang², Shikun Cheng³, Yuxin Lei³, Wenjin Sun³, Kexin Wang³, Zifu Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Science and Technology Beijing, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, PR China. Electronic address: d202210091@xs.ustb.edu.cn.
² University of Science and Technology Beijing, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, PR China. Electronic address: wangxm@ustb.edu.cn.
³ University of Science and Technology Beijing, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, PR China.
⁴ University of Science and Technology Beijing, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, PR China; International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Environmental and Energy Technology of MOST, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR China. Electronic address: zifuli@ustb.edu.cn.

PMID: 38735068
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121062

Abstract

High value-added products from organic waste fermentation have garnered increasing concern in modern society. VFAs are short-chain fatty acids, produced as intermediate products during the anaerobic fermentation of organic matter. VFAs can serve as an essential organic carbon source to produce substitutable fuels, microbial fats and oils, and synthetic biodegradable plastics et al. Extracting VFAs from the fermentation broths is a challenging task as the composition of suspensions is rather complex. In this paper, a comprehensive review of methods for VFAs production, extraction and separation are provided. Firstly, the methods to enhance VFAs production and significant operating parameters are briefly reviewed. Secondly, the evaluation and detailed discussion of various VFAs extraction and separation technologies, including membrane separation, complex extraction, and adsorption methods, are presented, highlighting their specific advantages and limitations. Finally, the challenges encountered by different separation technologies and novel approaches to enhance process performance are highlighted, providing theoretical guidance for recycling VFAs from organic wastes efficiently.

Keywords: Anaerobic fermentation; Organic waste; Production; Separation; Volatile fatty acids.

Publication types

Review