Evaluating an anaerobic digestion (AD) feedstock derived from a novel non-source segregated municipal solid waste (MSW) product.
In many nations industrial scale AD of non-agricultural waste materials (such as MSW) has not yet reached its full potential, often constrained by the lack of secure, inexpensive, high quality AD feedstocks, and markets for the resulting digestate material. We tested the output material of a high throughput novel industrial process to define its potential as an AD feedstock (based on quality and consistency). This process, designed to circumvent the constraints of source segregation while still generating segregated waste streams, resulted in the production of a temporally homogenous fibrous material with: an average moisture content of 44.2 (±2.33)%; C:N ratio of ∼32.9:1 (±3.46:1), C:P ratio of ∼228:1 and gross calorific value of 17.4 (±0.29)MJ/kg(DM). This material provided a CH4 yield of between 201 and 297m3 CH4/tonne(DM) (271-401m3CH4/tonne(vs)) comparable to commonly used AD feedstocks. Material contaminant levels were temporally consistent (P>0.05), (average values being Cd 0.63 (±0.19), Cu 56.3 (±7.45), Crtot 51.4 (±4.41), Hg<0.3, Ni 28.9 (±5.17), Pb 79.2 (±23.71), Zn 202 (±44.5), total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) 2.2 (±0.3), and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) (<0.2)mg/kg(DM)). Calculated digestate contaminant levels were below the median contaminant threshold limits for anaerobic digestates of all countries within the European Union i.e. of Cd 3.35, Cu 535, Crtot 535, Hg 8.15, Ni 185, Pb 397.5, Zn 2100mg/kg(DM). We suggest that novel high throughput processes that produce high quality AD feedstocks, may have a place in further diversion of waste from landfill.
['Blake|L I|LI|', 'Halim|F A|FA|', 'Gray|C|C|', 'Mair|R|R|', 'Manning|D A C|DAC|', 'Sallis|P|P|', 'Hutchinson|H|H|', 'Gray|N D|ND|']
D000693:Anaerobiosis D056804:Biofuels D002947:Cities D004926:Escherichia coli D005060:Europe D005740:Gases D008697:Methane D012037:Refuse Disposal D012475:Salmonella D012987:Soil D062611:Solid Waste D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared D013696:Temperature D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities
Municipal solid waste Anaerobic digestion feedstock Regulation of waste Roto-autoclaving Sustainable biogas production Waste treatment