Dynamics of sulfate reduction in the thermophilic dark fermentation of sugarcane vinasse: A biohydrogen-independent approach targeting enhanced bioenergy production

Dark fermentation (DF) systems usually exploit bioH2 production aiming to improve the energetic potential (EP) of anaerobic digestion (AD) schemes. In the case of sulfate-rich substrates, the versatility of fermentative consortia may favor the establishment of sulfidogenic conditions, minimizing/eliminating the competition between sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methanogens in the sequential stage and providing sulfide-free biogas. This...