Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework

As a response to the environmental and societal issues that emanate from the high reliance on fossil fuels, the world is now transitioning toward a circular bioeconomy. Acidogenic biohydrogen production is envisaged as a clean fuel of the future due to its non-polluting features and affordability. T...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Patrick T. Sekoai, Viren Chunilall, Obinna Ezeokoli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-06-01
Series:Fermentation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/7/602
_version_ 1797589372362555392
author Patrick T. Sekoai
Viren Chunilall
Obinna Ezeokoli
author_facet Patrick T. Sekoai
Viren Chunilall
Obinna Ezeokoli
author_sort Patrick T. Sekoai
collection DOAJ
description As a response to the environmental and societal issues that emanate from the high reliance on fossil fuels, the world is now transitioning toward a circular bioeconomy. Acidogenic biohydrogen production is envisaged as a clean fuel of the future due to its non-polluting features and affordability. The major encumbrance for the industrialization of this process is due to the accumulation of metabolic inhibitors (volatile fatty acids (VFAs)), which lower the H<sub>2</sub> yields. This review discusses novel methods that can be adopted to valorize the acidogenic VFAs via a “cascade microbial biorefinery-based” approach that enables this process to be economically feasible as it leads to the concomitant production of diverse high-value-added products. The work also elucidates the key setpoint parameters governing the recovery of VFAs during the acidogenic H<sub>2</sub> process. It further explores the recent advances in the use of VFAs in microbial biorefineries. Finally, the paper provides some recommendations that might help develop acidogenic microbial biorefineries in the future. Studies focusing on microbial biorefineries tailored towards the valorization/beneficiation of acidogenic VFAs are very scarce in the literature. This work aims to provide new insights into microbial biorefinery-based processes involving the use of acidogenic VFAs as substrates.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T01:05:41Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6e25d4fcc459459289107c1e69e1c8d6
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2311-5637
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T01:05:41Z
publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Fermentation
spelling doaj.art-6e25d4fcc459459289107c1e69e1c8d62023-11-18T19:15:44ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372023-06-019760210.3390/fermentation9070602Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based FrameworkPatrick T. Sekoai0Viren Chunilall1Obinna Ezeokoli2Biorefinery Industry Development Facility, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Durban 4041, South AfricaBiorefinery Industry Development Facility, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Durban 4041, South AfricaUnit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South AfricaAs a response to the environmental and societal issues that emanate from the high reliance on fossil fuels, the world is now transitioning toward a circular bioeconomy. Acidogenic biohydrogen production is envisaged as a clean fuel of the future due to its non-polluting features and affordability. The major encumbrance for the industrialization of this process is due to the accumulation of metabolic inhibitors (volatile fatty acids (VFAs)), which lower the H<sub>2</sub> yields. This review discusses novel methods that can be adopted to valorize the acidogenic VFAs via a “cascade microbial biorefinery-based” approach that enables this process to be economically feasible as it leads to the concomitant production of diverse high-value-added products. The work also elucidates the key setpoint parameters governing the recovery of VFAs during the acidogenic H<sub>2</sub> process. It further explores the recent advances in the use of VFAs in microbial biorefineries. Finally, the paper provides some recommendations that might help develop acidogenic microbial biorefineries in the future. Studies focusing on microbial biorefineries tailored towards the valorization/beneficiation of acidogenic VFAs are very scarce in the literature. This work aims to provide new insights into microbial biorefinery-based processes involving the use of acidogenic VFAs as substrates.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/7/602acidogenic biohydrogen effluentsvolatile fatty acidsvalorizationcircular bioeconomy
spellingShingle Patrick T. Sekoai
Viren Chunilall
Obinna Ezeokoli
Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
Fermentation
acidogenic biohydrogen effluents
volatile fatty acids
valorization
circular bioeconomy
title Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
title_full Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
title_fullStr Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
title_full_unstemmed Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
title_short Creating Value from Acidogenic Biohydrogen Fermentation Effluents: An Innovative Approach for a Circular Bioeconomy That Is Acquired via a Microbial Biorefinery-Based Framework
title_sort creating value from acidogenic biohydrogen fermentation effluents an innovative approach for a circular bioeconomy that is acquired via a microbial biorefinery based framework
topic acidogenic biohydrogen effluents
volatile fatty acids
valorization
circular bioeconomy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/7/602
work_keys_str_mv AT patricktsekoai creatingvaluefromacidogenicbiohydrogenfermentationeffluentsaninnovativeapproachforacircularbioeconomythatisacquiredviaamicrobialbiorefinerybasedframework
AT virenchunilall creatingvaluefromacidogenicbiohydrogenfermentationeffluentsaninnovativeapproachforacircularbioeconomythatisacquiredviaamicrobialbiorefinerybasedframework
AT obinnaezeokoli creatingvaluefromacidogenicbiohydrogenfermentationeffluentsaninnovativeapproachforacircularbioeconomythatisacquiredviaamicrobialbiorefinerybasedframework