Organic acids production from cheese-whey

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, Turkey

Approval Date: 2006

Thesis Language: English

Student: Seçil Türkmenoğlu

Supervisor: GÖKSEL NİYAZİ DEMİRER

Abstract:

In this study, production of organic acids from cheese-whey was studied. Optimization of organic acids production was performed in semi-batch and batch reactors. Two sets of experiments were performed. First set of experiments were performed in semi-batch reactors for the optimization of organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). As a result of Set 1 experiments optimum OLR was found to be 15 g COD l-1. Second set of experiments were performed in batch reactors by using the optimum OLR found in Set 1 experiments. Set 2 experiments were conducted to study the effect of using different seed cultures and Basal Media (BM) on Volatile fatty avid (VFA) production. Main acidogenesis products were acetic acid (Hac), butyric acid (Buty) and propionic acid (HPr) with smaller quantities of i-butyric acid (i-Buty), valeric acid (Val) and caproic acid (Cap). It was seen that BM had a suppressive effect on ethanol (EtOH) production while it stimulated the VFA production. Higher VFA productions and variety of VFA types were observed in Test Reactors seeded with acidogenic culture (R3 and R6).