Identification and Mitigation of Inhibitory Substances Contained in High-Salinity Crude Glycerol Generated from Biodiesel Production for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthesis by Haloferax mediterranei

Zhang, Xueyao; Helm, Richard F.; McCoy, Emily L.; Zhao, Fujunzhu; Wang, Mingxi; Li, Yebo; Lansing, Stephanie; Huang, Haibo; Wang, Zhiwu

doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c05475

Identification and Mitigation of Inhibitory Substances Contained in High-Salinity Crude Glycerol Generated from Biodiesel Production for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthesis by Haloferax mediterranei

Journal Article · Sun Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c05475· OSTI ID:2999011

Zhang, Xueyao ^[1]; Helm, Richard F. ^[1]; McCoy, Emily L. ^[2]; Zhao, Fujunzhu ^[1]; Wang, Mingxi ^[1]; Li, Yebo ^[3]; Lansing, Stephanie ^[2]; ^[1]; ^[1]

Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)
University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
Quasar Energy Group, Wooster, OH (United States)

High-salinity crude glycerol generated from biodiesel production poses significant challenges to microbial valorization due to inhibitory ingredients that severely limit microbial growth. This study identified and mitigated inhibitory substances contained in high-salinity glycerol sludge to enable its conversion to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloferax mediterranei. The long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) were consistently identified as the primary inhibitors by liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet−visible spectroscopy. Acid precipitation at pH 2 efficiently removed these LCFAs, substantially reducing the required feedstock dilution from 23 to 3 times, improving PHA titer by 40%. Furthermore, this dilution reduction also increased the feedstock salinity utilization, achieving a 46% reduction in external salt supplementation for H. mediterranei growth. In contrast, overliming and arrested anaerobic digestion were confirmed to be ineffective in inhibitor removal. This study provides deep insights into inhibitor chemistry and presents acid precipitation as an effective pretreatment strategy for waste valorization of highsalinity crude glycerol.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0009268

OSTI ID:: 2999011

Journal Information:: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Journal Name: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Journal Issue: 39 Vol. 13; ISSN 2168-0485

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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