Study and valorisation of wastewaters generated in the production of bacterial nanocellulose

Two culture media were tested for the production of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) under static culture fermentation, one containing molasses (Mol-HS), the other molasses and corn steep liquor (Mol-CSL), as a source of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. These are low-cost nutrients widely available, which provide very good BNC productivities. However, the use of these substrates generates wastewaters with high organic loads. Anaerobic digestion is one of the most promising treatments for industrial wastewaters with high organic loads since, beyond removal of the organic matter, it generates energy, in form of biogas. The wastewaters from BNC fermentation were thus evaluated for their biochemical methane potential through anaerobic digestion. For this, two wastewaters streams were collected: (i) the culture medium obtained after fermentation (WaF) and (ii) the WaF combined with BNC washing wastewaters (WaW). These two effluents—WaF and WaW—were characterized regarding their chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total and volatile solids, to assess their suitability for anaerobic digestion. The biochemical methane potential of WaF and WaW from Mol-CSL wastewaters was (387 ± 14 L kg−1 VS) and (354 ± 4 L kg−1 VS), corresponding to a methanization percentage of (86.9 ± 3.1) % and (79.5 ± 0.9) %, respectively. After treatment, the chemical oxygen demand of WaF and WaW was reduced by (89.2 ± 0.4) and (88.7 ± 1.5), respectively. An exploratory test using an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor for WaW treatment was also performed. The reactor was operated with a organic loading rate of [(6.5 ± 0.1) g L−1 d−1] and hydraulic retention time of 3.33 days, allowing a chemical oxygen demand removal of 58% of WaW. Results here obtained demonstrate, for the first time, the high potential of AD for the valorisation of the BNC fermentation wastewaters.