Integrated management of vinasse in the production of spirits and ethanol: A review

Dioses-Morales J.J.; Rengifo-Maravi J.C.; Arias-Durand A.D.; Espinoza-Córdova G.; Gonzales-Uscamayta M.; Arévalo-Ortíz F.H.; Chire-Murillo E.T.; Sánchez-Benites V.C.; Palma J.C.; Jorge-Montalvo P.; Visitación-Figueroa L. · Heliyon (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2026.e45441

Resumen

Vinasse, a liquid byproduct of the wine and distillation industries, represents a major environmental challenge requiring treatment to reduce its impact through circular economy models. Generated during raw material fermentation and distillation, 8–18 L of vinasse are produced per liter of ethanol. Its uncontrolled disposal causes severe degradation of soils and water bodies due to high organic load and elevated salinity (K, P, and micronutrients). To address this issue under circular economy models, this review offers a comparative framework that systematically contrasts raw materials such as sugarcane, grains (corn and rice), agave, and grapes, revealing how feedstock origin conditions recovery potential, ecotoxicological risk, and treatment feasibility. Based on this perspective, this work systematizes methods that convert this environmental liability into a value-added resource through comprehensive management, ranging from fertigation, biofertilizer production, composting, and biomass generation to bioenergy recovery (hydrogen and methane). Although advanced treatments, such as anaerobic-aerobic systems, achieve chemical oxygen demand removals of up to 98.2%, current processes utilize a small percentage of the generated volume, with the remainder applied to soil. Given this limitation, biotechnological upcycling of vinasse is emphasized, focusing on potassium recovery for fertilizer production and the development of products rich in antioxidant compounds. These approaches aim to purify the effluent while implementing preventive measures that transform vinasse into a clean, utilizable byproduct, replacing its traditional status as waste.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina