Understanding the effects of glycolipid biosurfactants produced through the solid-state fermentation of organic waste on the anaerobic digestion of biowaste
Oiza, Nicolás (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Bueno Mancebo, José Antonio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Moral Vico, Javier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Barrena, Raquel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Artola, Adriana (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Sánchez, Antoni (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Gea Leiva, Teresa (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2026
Description:	13 pàg.
Abstract:	This study examined the effects of two different microbial glycolipid biosurfactants on the anaerobic digestion of source-selected biowaste. Sophorolipids and mannosylerythritol lipids were produced through solid-state fermentation using a combination of wheat straw, molasses, and winterization oil cake. The characterization of the biosurfactants was conducted via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, which revealed their diverse configurations, highlighting the importance of the purification of biosurfactants produced from waste. When utilized as additives in anaerobic digestion, both sophorolipids and mannosylerythritol lipids demonstrated high biodegradability, facilitating the degradation of recalcitrant matter in the absence of readily biodegradable substrates. Sophorolipids yielded 785-800 mL of methane per gram added, depending on the purification level. Meanwhile, mannosylerythritol lipids produced 948 mL of methane per gram added. Overall, addition of biosurfactants lowered methane production when taking their own production into account, highlighting a key control that many other studies lack. Furthermore, in conjunction with biowaste, sophorolipids augmented the initial concentration of volatile fatty acid by 52%. Sophorolipids showed a high inhibition of the methanogenesis process. A complete microbial analysis of selected samples revealed distinct changes in community composition, with sophorolipids favouring hydrolytic and acidogenic populations, while mannosylerythritol lipids increased methanogenic Archaea. This fact can have important implications in the further use of these additives to improve biowaste AD. In the case of novel biosurfactants such as sophorolipids and mannosylerythritol lipids, which are produced from organic waste, it is evident that there is a lack of studies supporting their effectiveness in anaerobic digestion and their biodegradability in such environments, as well as the real consequences of adding them.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2023-146978OB-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PRE2021-097852
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Anaerobic digestion ; Biodegradability ; Mannosylerythritol lipids ; Microbial populations ; Sophorolipids ; Volatile fatty acids ; Waste valorisation
Published in:	Waste management (Elmsford), Vol. 216 (April 2026) , art. 115474, ISSN 1879-2456

DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2026.115474
PMID: 41850051

13 p, 4.8 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Engineering > Composting Research Group (GICOM)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles