Digesting The Organic Fraction Of Municipal Solid Waste: Moving From Mesophilic (37°C) To Thermophilic (55°C) Conditions

This paper shows the possibility of moving in a matter of weeks from mesophilic (37°C) to thermophilic (55°C) conditions in the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) at high levels of solids (20%). After the temperature increases, a first pseudo steady-state condition can be reached after a month and a final steady-state condition after 2 months. No particular evidence of digester instability was observed using this approach in changing temperature range. The higher yields obtained in the latter condition (110% larger in terms of specific production) are shown.     

Testing Stability Of Chlorophenols And Lindane (γ-HCH) In Different Leachates Originating From Anaerobic Municipal Waste Decomposition

The degradation potential of landfill leachates for several chlorinated phenols and a pesticide (lindane) was investigated. Acidogenic and methanogenic model leachates from a laboratory waste lysimeter, as well as methanogenic leachate from a disposal site, were examined. In the assays with acidogenic leachates only lindane was metabolized completely within 60 days. In the methanogenic leachates, lindane and chlorophenols were metabolized immediately. No lindane metabolites could be detected. Detected chlorophenol metabolites pointed at reductive dehalogenation as the dominant degradation process, whereby ortho-dechlorination was strictly preferred. Transformation reactions were confined to samples which were biologically active.     

Optimization Of Infectious Hospital Waste Management In Italy: Part I—wastes Production And Characterization Study

A two-year R&D project dealing with the study, design, prototype plant development and operation of an integrated management system of infectious hospital wastes (IHW) has been recently performed by CO.PR.AM., an Italian industrial consortium. The project was concerned with the characterization, handling (collection, storage, transportation) and incineration of IHW produced by a large sanitary district (three hospitals, 191 different clinics, 40 laboratories, and a total of 2500 bedspaces) and permitted researchers to analyse in detail each major aspect of IHW disposal such as production handling and treatment in order to devise an optimal solution to their overall management. This paper deals with the sources of IHW production and the characterization of its individual components. Subsequent papers shall detail heavy metals content and other chemical characteristics of IHW, as well as environmental releases (i.e. atmospheric emissions, fly and bottom ashes) during incineration.