Treatment of vinasse from tequila production using polyglutamic acid

• Main Authors: Octavio, Carvajal-Zarrabal, Cirilo, Nolasco-Hipolito, Dulce, Barradas-Dermitz, Patricia M., Hayward-Jones, Guadalupe, Aguilar-Uscanga, Kopli, Bujang
• Format: E-Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: AC Collections. Series. Collected works
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/2387/1/Treatment%20of%20vinasse%20from%20tequila%20production%20using%20polyglutamic%20acid.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/2387/

Vinasse, the wastewater from ethanol distillation, is characterised by high levels of organic and inorganic matter, high exit process temperature (ca. 90 _C) and low pH (3.0e4.5). In this study, the treatment of tequila vinasse was achieved by a flocculationecoagulation process using poly-g-glutamic acid (PGA). Results showed that the use of PGA (250e300 ppm) combined with sodium hypochlorite and sand filtration managed to remove about 70% of the turbidity and reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 79.5% with the extra benefit of colour removal. PGA showed its best flocculating activity at pH 2.5e3.5 and a temperature of 30e55 _C. Such a treatment may be a solution for small tequila companies for which other solutions to deal with their vinasse may not be economically affordable.