title: Optimization of the treatment cycle of pressed-off leachate produced in a facility processing the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.
abstract: The paper investigates, at a laboratory scale, the applicability of anaerobic digestion for the treatment of pressed-off leachate produced in a biomechanical treatment plant for municipal solid waste. Batch tests show that the anaerobic process proceeds smoothly and produces about 10,000 mL of methane per litre of treated leachate. The process is characterized by a lag phase lasting about 30 days, and is completed in about 2 months. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile fatty acids monitoring allows studying process kinetics that are modelled through a triple linear expression. Physical and biological treatments are also investigated to reduce the residual organic charge of the produced digestate. The best performances are obtained via aerobic degradation followed by assisted sedimentation. This cycle reduces the residual COD of about 85%, and allows the correct disposal of the final waste stream.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering , University of Naples Federico II , Via Claudio 21, Naples 80125 , Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: d'Antonio
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabbricino
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pontoni
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008697:Methane
keywords: anaerobic digestion; biomechanical treatment; clariflocculation; digestate; pressed-off leachate