Hybrid treatment system for remediation of sugarcane vinasse

Abstract

The sugar and alcohol industries provide promising alternative energy sources to replace the use of petroleum derivatives. Vinasse is a byproduct of the alcoholic fermentation of various raw materials, and is used in the fertirrigation of sugarcane plantations. However, its excessive use leads to many soil and groundwater related problems, including toxicity to living organisms, acidification of soil and water, accumulation of heavy metals, and contamination of groundwater. The use of integrated systems, such as stabilization, filtration, and phytoremediation, have attracted interest in the treatment of wastewater from various sources, as these highly effective biogeochemical systems can reduce the pollutant concentrations in wastewater, thereby reducing its adverse effects. The aim of this work was to develop a hybrid treatment system to optimize the physical and chemical characteristics of vinasse so that it can be used as fertilizer for crops with a lower pollution impact. The results of this study validated the effectiveness of the proposed system and demonstrated positive modifications of vinasse.

Keywords: Biogeochemical systems; Bioremediation; Eichhornia crassipes; Stabilization; Stillage.