title: Influence of inoculum on performance of anaerobic reactors for treating municipal solid waste.
abstract: The influence of bovine rumen fluid inoculum during anaerobic treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) was studied in this work. The parameters adopted for evaluation were the biostabilization constant of total volatile solids (TVS) and the biostabilization time of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) applied to the reactors. The work was realized in four anaerobic batch reactors of 20 l capacity each, during a period of 365 days. The proportions between MSW/inoculum loaded in the reactors were Reactor A (100%/0%), Reactor B (95%/5%), Reactor C (90%/10%) and Reactor D (85%/15%). The necessary time for biostabilization of half of the applied COD was 459, 347, 302 and 234 days and the average of methane concentration in the biogas produced was 3.6%, 13.0%, 25.0% and 42.6% for Reactors A, B, C and D, respectively. The data obtained affirm that the inoculum used substantially improved the performance of the process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Rua Papa João Paulo I 325, 58103-600 Campina Grande, PB, Brazil. wiltonlopes@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Wilton Silva
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Valderi Duarte
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors; D002417:Cattle; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012417:Rumen / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008697:Methane; D010100:Oxygen