Integrated ozonation and biomethanization treatments of vinasse derived from ethanol manufacturing

Anaerobic digestion of vinasse derived from bioethanol manufacturing, in which total COD was found to be 68.56 +/- 8.17 g/L, was studied in batch laboratory-scale reactors at mesophilic temperature (35 degrees C). The vinasse was subjected to a short ozonation pre-treatment (15 min) in which more than 50% reduction of phenols was observed, although the total organic carbon concentration remained approximately stable, indicating that the phenols were transformed into other simpler forms. The anaerobic biodegradability of raw and pre-treated vinasse was similar, reaching values close to 80% (COD). However, the methane yield coefficient and methane production rate enhanced by around 13.6% and 41.16%, respectively, when the ozonized vinasse was fed. These results indicate that the integration of chemical-biological treatments could be a viable option for the purification of this hazardous wastewater. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.