Production of Volatile Fatty Acids from Organic-Rich Waste Streams: Current Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities

Shortage of resources and waste-related problems have been exacerbated in recent years due to the growing population and bustling commercial and industrial development. In this research, the production of volatile fatty acids (VFA) from organic waste streams has been reviewed, focusing on current issues and challenges in promoting the hydrolysis of biopolymers in the organic feedstocks, controlling impacting factors of the fermentation processes, and extraction and purification techniques of these valuable products.

Development of high sludge concentration systems under acidogenic conditions can be among the key approaches to high VFA productivity systems. An example of comparing VFA platforms with methane versus conventional aerobic treatment of two types of organic-rich wastewater generated in Vietnam shows the potential opportunities for maximizing resource recovery from organic-rich waste streams.

The main current issues and challenges are the increase in VFA yields, selective VFA product spectrums, and effective harvest of VFA from the fermentation broth. This review presents directive opportunities for the development of waste treatment technology to produce valuable chemicals and materials.