LAPSE:2023.35462
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.35462
Assessment of Hydrogen and Volatile Fatty Acid Production from Fruit and Vegetable Waste: A Case Study of Mediterranean Markets
April 28, 2023
This study investigates the dark fermentation of fruit and vegetable waste under mesophilic conditions (30−34 °C), as a valorization route for H2 and volatile fatty acids production, simulating the open market waste composition over the year in two Mediterranean countries. Specifically, the study focuses on the effect of the (i) seasonal variability, (ii) initial pH, and (iii) substrate/inoculum ratio on the yields and composition of the main end products. Concerning the seasonal variation, the summer and spring mixtures led to +16.8 and +21.7% higher H2 production than the winter/autumn mixture, respectively. Further investigation on the least productive substrate (winter/autumn) led to 193.0 ± 7.4 NmL of H2 g VS−1 at a pH of 5.5 and a substrate/inoculum of 1. With the same substrate, at a pH of 7.5, the highest acetic acid yield of 7.0 mmol/g VS was observed, with acetic acid corresponding to 78.2% of the total acids. Whereas a substrate/inoculum of 3 resulted in the lowest H2 yield, amounting to 111.2 ± 7.6 NmL of H2 g VS−1, due to a decrease of the pH to 4.8, which likely caused an inhibitory effect by undissociated acids. This study demonstrates that dark fermentation can be a valuable strategy to efficiently manage such leftovers, rather than landfilling or improperly treating them.
Keywords
dark fermentation, fruit and vegetable waste, initial pH, season variability, substrate/inoculum
Suggested Citation
Scotto di Perta E, Cesaro A, Pindozzi S, Frunzo L, Esposito G, Papirio S. Assessment of Hydrogen and Volatile Fatty Acid Production from Fruit and Vegetable Waste: A Case Study of Mediterranean Markets. (2023). LAPSE:2023.35462
Author Affiliations
Scotto di Perta E: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy; Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy [ORCID]
Cesaro A: Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
Pindozzi S: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy; BAT Center-Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy [ORCID]
Frunzo L: Department of Mathematics and Applications “Renato Caccioppoli”, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia, 80126 Naples, Italy
Esposito G: Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy [ORCID]
Papirio S: Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy [ORCID]
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
15
Issue
14
First Page
5032
Year
2022
Publication Date
2022-07-10
Published Version
ISSN
1996-1073
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Original Submission
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PII: en15145032, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2023.35462
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doi:10.3390/en15145032
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Apr 28, 2023
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