Production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as chemicals or substrates for microbes to obtain biochemicals

Tomás-Pejó, Elia; González-Fernández, Cristina; Greses, Silvia; Kennes, Christian; Otero-Logilde, Nuria; Veiga, María C.; Bolzonella, David; Müller, Bettina; Passoth, Volkmar

doi:10.1186/s13068-023-02349-5

Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts

Table 1 Possible feedstock for SCFA production, prevailing acids in the SCFA pool, and main operational parameters

From: Production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as chemicals or substrates for microbes to obtain biochemicals

Feedstock	Reactor type	Inoculum source	Operational conditions	Prevailing SCFA	References
Cheese whey	AnSBR^a	From AD of cheese whey	30 °C, pH = 5, OLR = 6 g COD/Ld, HRT = 2 d	Acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric acids	[37]
Sewage sludge	CSTR^b	Sewage sludge	37 °C, pH = 5.6, OLR = 0.9 g COD/Ld, HRT = 10 d	Acetic, propionic, iso-butyric, butyric, iso-valeric, valeric acids	[38]
Tuna waste	CSTR^b	From AD of tuna waste	37 °C, pH = 5–10, OLR = 4 g COD/Ld, HRT = 10 d	Acetic, propionic, butyric, iso-valeric acids	[28]
Brewery wastewater	CSTR^b	From AD of brewery wastewater	30 °C, pH = 5, OLR = 6 g COD/Ld, HRT = 2 d	Acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric acids	[39]
Cheese whey + brewery wastewater (different ratios)	UASB^c	From AD of cheese whey	30 °C, pH = 5, OLR = 6 g COD/Ld, HRT = 2 d	Acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric acids	[40]
Cheese whey + sewage sludge (different ratios)	CSTR^b	From AD of brewery wastewater	37 °C, pH = 5.5, OLR = 1–2.4 g COD/Ld, HRT = 15 d	Caproic, acetic, butyric, iso-butyric acids	[41]
Agroindustrial wastes: potato solid waste, grape marc distilled, grape marc, brewery spent grain	Batch		30 ºC	Acetic, butyric, propionic acids	[42]
Agroindustrial waste: Cucumber Tomato Lettuce	CSTR^b	From a conventional AD of sewage sludge at 35 ºC	25 °C, pH = 3.8–4.6 (NO pH control), OLR = 3 g VS/Ld	Butyric, caproic acids Acetic, butyric acids Acetic, butyric acids	[27]
Agroindustrial waste: Cucumber Tomato Lettuce	CSTR^b	From a conventional AD of sewage sludge at 35 ºC	25 °C, pH = 5.5–6 (pH control), OLR = 3 g VS/Ld, HRT = 9.3–10.2 d	Acetic, butyric, caproic acids Acetic, butyric, caproic acids Acetic, butyric acids	[25]
Agroindustrial waste: melon and watermelon	CSTR^b	From a conventional AD of sewage sludge at 35 ºC	25 °C, pH = 5.5–6 (pH control), OLR = 3 g VS/Ld, HRT = 27 d and 20d	Iso-butyric, caproic acids	[30]
Microalgae biomass (Pretreated)	CSTR^b	From a conventional AD of sewage sludge at 35 ºC	25 °C, pH = 5.7–6.3 (NO pH control), OLR = 1.5 g COD/Ld, HRT = 8 d	Acetic, propionic acids	[43]

^aAnaerobic sequencing batch reactor
^bContinuous stirred tank reactor
^cUp-flow anaerobic sludge blanket
Such as temperature, HRT Hydraulic retention time, OLR Organic loading rate, COD chemical oxygen demand, VS Volatile solids, d Day if stated, AD Anaerobic digestion

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