Advancements in vinasse application: An integrated analysis of patents, literature and research profile

One of the main challenges in ethanol production within alcohol industries is the management of vinasse, a voluminous and highly toxic waste. This demands the search for alternatives for its reprocessing and disposal since its release into the environment results in soil and water pollution, leading to an unhealthy environment, ecological imbalances, and harm to wildlife. Given the relevance of this issue, the main objective of this study was to research patents in leading databases focused on vinasse treatment. The results were then correlated with an analysis of publications on vinasse application in new products and processes from January 1990 to December 2021. Additionally, we conducted a research profile analysis using three software tools (VOSViewer, CiteSpace, and CitNetExplorer) to extract citation networks, identify the main research groups, and comprehend the evolution of vinasse-related research over time. The results showed that most frequent applications are: i) biofuel production; ii) treatment; iii) recovery of organic compounds; iv) enzymatic hydrolysis; v) bioremediation; vi) fertilizer. With this, articles were searched for the investigation of innovations in the sugar-cane ethanol production chain. Most articles focus on the treatment of vinasse using microorganisms, in addition to the reuse of this effluent as a fertilizer. Thus, this study contributes to the presentation of the main works in the field and the literature regarding the use of vinasse and pointing out the current challenges to be overcome.