title: Methane yield in source-sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste.
abstract: Treating the source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) by anaerobic digestion is considered by many municipalities in Europe as an environmentally friendly means of treating organic waste and simultaneously producing methane gas. Methane yield can be used as a parameter for evaluation of the many different systems that exist for sorting and pre-treating waste. Methane yield from the thermophilic pilot scale digestion of 17 types of domestically SS-OFMSW originating from seven full-scale sorting systems was found. The samples were collected during 1 year using worked-out procedures tested statistically to ensure representative samples. Each waste type was identified by its origin and by pre-sorting, collection and pre-treatment methods. In addition to the pilot scale digestion, all samples were examined by chemical analyses and methane potential measurements. A VS-degradation rate of around 80% and a methane yield of 300-400Nm(3) CH(4)/ton VS(in) were achieved with a retention time of 15 days, corresponding to approximately 70% of the methane potential. The different waste samples gave minor variation in chemical composition and thus also in methane yield and methane potential. This indicates that sorting and collection systems in the present study do not significantly affect the amount of methane produced per VS treated.
authors.affiliation: Water and Environmental Engineering at Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davidsson
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gruvberger
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Trine Lund
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Jes la Cour
authors.initials: Jl
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005735:Garbage; D008697:Methane / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D008697:Methane