title: Pretreatment of vinasse from the sugar refinery industry under non-sterile conditions byTrametes versicolorin a fluidized bed bioreactor and its effect when coupled to an UASB reactor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During hydrous ethanol production from the sugar refinery industry in Mexico, vinasse is generated. Phenolic compounds and melanoidins contribute to its color and make degradation of the vinasse a difficult task. Although anaerobic digestion (AD) is feasible for vinasse treatment, the presence of recalcitrant compounds can be toxic or inhibitory for anaerobic microorganism. Therefore, this study presents new data on the coupled of the FBR (Fluidized Bed Bioreactor) to the UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) reactor under non-sterile conditions byT. versicolor. Nevertheless, for an industrial application, it is necessary to evaluate the performance in this kind of proposal system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Therefore, this study used a FBR for the removal of phenolic compounds (67%) and COD (38%) at non-sterile conditions. Continuous operation of the FBR was successfully for 26 days according to the literature. When the FBR was coupled to the UASB reactor, we obtained a better quality of effluent, furthermore methane content and yield were 74% and 0.18 m3CH4/ kg CODremovalrespectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the possibility of using for an industrial application the coupled of the FBR to the UASB reactor under non-sterile conditions. Continuous operation of the FBR was carried out successfully for 26 days, which is the highest value found in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Yucatan center for scientific research (CICY), Renewable Energy Unit and Biotechnology Unit. Street 43 N.130 Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo 97200, Merida, Yucatan Mexico.
authors.forename: Elda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: España-Gamboa
authors.affiliation: Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Escola Técnica Superior d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vicent
authors.affiliation: Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Escola Técnica Superior d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Font
authors.affiliation: Yucatan center for scientific research (CICY), Renewable Energy Unit and Biotechnology Unit. Street 43 N.130 Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo 97200, Merida, Yucatan Mexico.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Maldonado
authors.affiliation: Yucatan center for scientific research (CICY), Renewable Energy Unit and Biotechnology Unit. Street 43 N.130 Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo 97200, Merida, Yucatan Mexico.
authors.forename: Blondy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Canto-Canché
authors.affiliation: Yucatan center for scientific research (CICY), Renewable Energy Unit and Biotechnology Unit. Street 43 N.130 Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo 97200, Merida, Yucatan Mexico.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alzate-Gaviria
keywords: Fluidized bed bioreactor; Hydrous ethanol vinasse; Non-sterile conditions; Recalcitrant compounds; Trametes versicolor; UASB