Acclimation of microorganisms for an efficient production of volatile fatty acids and biogas from mezcal vinasses in a dark fermentation process

Mezcal is an alcoholic artisanal drink made from agave plants in Mexico. Its production causes the generation of wastewater called vinasses, which are highly polluting residues due to its concentration of organic matter as chemical oxygen demand (COD) (35,000-122,000 mg/L) and acidity (pH < 4). Due to their organic content, these residues can be used in dark fermentation to obtain biogas, which is rich in hydrogen. In this work, the acclimation of inoculum by means of a dark fermentation process, in the presence of toxic compounds from mezcal vinasses was studied. The strategy of increasing the initial concentration of vinasse in each treatment cycle in a SBR reactor was applied. It was possible to obtain a maximum biogas production of 984 +/- 187 mL/L, from vinasses (18,367 +/- 1,200 mg COD/L), with an organic matter removal efficiency of 20 +/- 1%. A maximum generation of volatile fatty acids (VFA) of 980 +/- 538 mg/L equivalent to a production of 74 +/- 21% of the influent concentration and removal rate of organic matter of 1,125 +/- 234 mg COD/L d(-1) equivalent to a removal efficiency of 20 +/- 4% was obtained from vinasses with a concentration of 19,648 +/- 1,702 mg COD/L.