title: Characteristics of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and methane production: A review.
abstract: Anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a viable alternative for waste stabilization and energy recovery. Biogas production mainly depends on the type and amount of organic macromolecules. Based on results from different authors analysing OFMSW from different cities, this paper presents the importance of knowing the OFMSW composition to understand how anaerobic digestion can be used to produce methane. This analysis describes and discusses physical, chemical and bromatological characteristics of OFMSW reported by several authors from different countries and cities and their relationship to methane production. The main conclusion is that the differences are country and not city dependant. Cultural habits and OFMSW management systems do not allow a generalisation but the individual analysis for specific cities allow understanding the general characteristics for a better methane production. Not only are the OFMSW characteristics important but also the conditions under which the methane production tests were performed.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Department, Institute of Engineering, National University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), 04510 Mexico DF, Mexico. Electronic address: rcampuzanoa@iingen.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Rosalinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campuzano
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Department, Institute of Engineering, National University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), 04510 Mexico DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Simón
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González-Martínez
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002947:Cities; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008697:Methane
keywords: Methane production; Municipal organic waste characteristics; OFMSW