ABSTRACT
Vinasse is the main waste from alcohol distilleries, and it has a considerable pollution potential. A valuable approach to enhance the management of vinasse consists of using it as a soil fertilizer. However, the vinasse recovery by microbial pathways is also feasible as it can be used as a cheap feedstock for the manufacture of bioproducts due to its high content of biodegradable organic carbon. Today, the generation of surface-active compounds (SACs) of microbial origin offers a valuable alternative to replace the synthetic products. Among its possible applications, they can be used as soil washing agents to improve the recovery of organic and inorganic pollutants. However, its manufacture from economic feedstock such as vinasse could be the first step to ensure a sustainable use for a long time. The present chapter reviews the current advances related to the recovery of vinasse by microbial pathways. Particularly, it is considered in the vinasse reconversion into SACs as well as the use of these bioproducts in soil washing technologies.
