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An integrated approach to achieve a circular bioeconomy in the treatment and disposal of distillery spentwash

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Abstract

Distillery spentwash from molasses-based alcohol distilleries poses a significant challenge to the Indian distilleries and the environment. Generating energy, utilizing it as fertilizer in agriculture, and using it as a growth medium for algal production are potential methods for recovering resource from the spentwash. This study primarily focuses on achieving a circular bioeconomy in the treatment and disposal of distillery spentwash. The term circular-bioeconomy underscores the integration of biological processes into the circular economy framework. In this context, the study contributes to the circular economy by not only addressing the challenge of distillery spentwash but also by incorporating biomethanation and recycling of biomethanated distillery spentwash (BDS) as organic fertilizer in agriculture, as well as algal biomass production in BDS. Biomethanation was performed at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor; a HRT of 6 days was optimum. Based on laboratory findings, full-scale UASB reactors were operated for 6 days HRT. Throughout the study period, reactors operations remained stable, with 63.09 to 65.61%, 72.59 to 77.31%, and 58.39 to 60.02% reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total solids (TS), respectively, at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 2.40 to 4.52 kg COD m−3 day−1. Field experiments with groundnut and sugarcane demonstrated that BDS could serve as a valuable source of plant nutrients, sustaining crop yields, soil productivity, and soil health without polluting the soil and ground water. The use of a growth medium comprising BDS is a cost-effective alternative for treating distillery spentwash and simultaneously producing Spirulina sp. on a large scale.

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Data availability

The raw data of this paper are available at the University Library, Tamil Nadu Agricultural Univversity, Coimbatore, India.

Abbreviations

APHA:

American Public Health Association

BDS:

Biomethanated distillery spentwash

BOD5 :

Biochemical oxygen demand

CPCB:

Central Pollution Control Board

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand

DO:

Dissolved oxygen

EC:

Electrical conductivity

ETP:

Effluent treatment plant

GLS:

Gas–liquid-solid

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

HRT:

Hydraulic retention time

MoEF&CC:

Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change

N:

Nitrogen

OD:

Optical density

OLR:

Organic loading rate

RSC:

Residual sodium carbonate

SAR:

Sodium adsorption ratio

SSP:

Soluble sodium percentage

TDS:

Total dissolved solids

TS:

Total solids

TSS:

Total suspended solids

UAHR:

Upflow anaerobic hybrid reactor

UASB:

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket

VSS:

Volatile suspended solids

ZLD:

Zero liquid discharge

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Funding

M/s. Bhavani Distilleries and Chemicals Limited, India, have provided financial support to carry the project on “High-rate biomethanation and eco-friendly utilization of spentwash.”

Role of funding source

Mr. K. Eswaran, Administrative Manager, M/s. Bhavani Distilleries and Chemicals Limited have rendered timely help during survey and sample collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India

    M. Selvamurugan, P. Doraisamy, M. Maheswari & K. Valliappan

Authors
  1. M. Selvamurugan
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  2. P. Doraisamy
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  3. M. Maheswari
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  4. K. Valliappan
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Contributions

M. Selvamurugan—investigation, original draft and conceptualization.

P. Doraisamy—project administration, supervision, reviewing and editing.

M. Maheswari—supervision, reviewing and editing.

K.Valliappan—reviewing and editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Selvamurugan.

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Selvamurugan, M., Doraisamy, P., Maheswari, M. et al. An integrated approach to achieve a circular bioeconomy in the treatment and disposal of distillery spentwash. Biomass Conv. Bioref. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05581-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05581-7

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