Evaluating the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of low-organic waste at Danish landfills

The biochemical methane potential (BMP) is an essential parameter when using first order decay (FOD) landfill gas (LFG) generation models to estimate methane (CH₄) generation from landfills. Different categories of waste (mixed, shredder and sludge waste) with a low-organic content and temporarily stored combustible waste were sampled from four Danish landfills. The waste was characterized in terms of physical characteristics (TS, VS, TC and TOC) and the BMP was analyzed in batch tests. The experiment was set up in triplicate, including blank and control tests. Waste samples were incubated at 55 °C for more than 60 days, with continuous monitoring of the cumulative CH₄ generation. Results showed that samples of mixed waste and shredder waste had similar BMP results, which was in the range of 5.4–9.1 kg CH₄/ton waste (wet weight) on average. As a calculated consequence, their degradable organic carbon content (DOCC) was in the range of 0.44–0.70% of total weight (wet waste). Numeric values of both parameters were much lower than values of traditional municipal solid waste (MSW), as well as default numeric values in current FOD models. The sludge waste and temporarily stored combustible waste showed BMP values of 51.8–69.6 and 106.6–117.3 kg CH₄/ton waste on average, respectively, and DOCC values of 3.84–5.12% and 7.96–8.74% of total weight. The same category of waste from different Danish landfills did not show significant variation. This research studied the BMP of Danish low-organic waste for the first time, which is important and valuable for using current FOD LFG generation models to estimate realistic CH₄ emissions from modern landfills receiving low-organic waste.     

零价铁和微波预处理组合强化污泥厌氧消化

以中温(100℃)常压的微波预处理结合零价铁投加为对象,考察了低投加量5. 19～41. 51 g·kg~(-1)(以TS计)、高投加量83. 35～853. 46 g·kg~(-1)(以TS计)下的零价铁对微波预处理污泥厌氧消化的进一步强化作用.结果表明,微波预处理与零价铁组合可使污泥厌氧消化产甲烷潜势提升17%～23%.零价铁对微波预处理后污泥厌氧消化具有一定的促进作用,且提升了厌氧消化初期(1～4 d)产甲烷速率,零价铁投加量为31. 13 g·kg~(-1)(以TS计)时,产甲烷潜势提升了7. 42%,反应第2 d的产甲烷速率提高了11. 02%.高投加量的零价铁并未表现出更好的强化效果.零价铁促进了厌氧消化初期溶解性有机物的释放,投加量为31. 13 g·kg~(-1)(以TS计)时,溶解性蛋白质较单独预处理组提高21. 16%,并且零价铁投加加快了乙酸、异丁酸、异戊酸的消耗.零价铁的投加,导致上清液中的磷酸根和硫酸根浓度降低,相应地,上清液中铁元素的浓度反而下降,说明零价铁的形态转化后,易与磷酸盐、硫反应形成沉淀,这可能是铁投加作用效果不明显的重要原因.     

Resource recovery potential from secondary components of segregated municipal solid wastes

Fermentable components of municipal solid wastes (MSW) such as fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW), leaf litter, paddy straw, cane bagasse, cane trash and paper are generated in large quantities at various pockets of the city. These form potential feedstocks for decentralized biogas plants to be operated in the vicinity. We characterized the fermentation potential of six of the above MSW fractions for their suitability to be converted to biogas and anaerobic compost using the solid-state stratified bed (SSB) process in a laboratory study. FVW and leaf litter (paper mulberry leaves) decomposed almost completely while paddy straw, sugarcane trash, sugarcane bagasse and photocopying paper decomposed to a lower extent. In the SSB process between 50–60% of the biological methane potential (BMP) could be realized. Observations revealed that the SSB process needs to be adapted differently for each of the feedstocks to obtain a higher gas recovery. Bagasse produced the largest fraction of anaerobic compost (fermentation residue) and has the potential for reuse in many ways.     

糖蜜酒精废液厌氧生物降解生物化学甲烷势分析

在中温条件下,对pH值和营养比例2个影响因素进行了糖蜜酒精废液的BMP分析,探讨酒精废液在厌氧消化过程中产甲烷量、COD浓度的变化情况,以及COD去除率与产气量、pH值之间的关系.研究结果表明,厌氧处理法能够使糖蜜酒精废液的有机负荷大大降低,COD去除率最高可达90.6%.在调节营养比例的条件下,pH=8.5时甲烷菌活性最佳,其中COD:P=300:1的产甲烷量最高.     

Towards eliminating systematic errors caused by the experimental conditions in Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests

The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test is increasingly recognised as a tool for selecting and pricing biomass material for production of biogas. However, the results for the same substrate often differ between laboratories and much work to standardise such tests is still needed. In the current study, the effects from four environmental factors (i.e. ambient temperature and pressure, water vapour content and initial gas composition of the reactor headspace) on the degradation kinetics and the determined methane potential were evaluated with a 2⁴ full factorial design. Four substrates, with different biodegradation profiles, were investigated and the ambient temperature was found to be the most significant contributor to errors in the methane potential. Concerning the kinetics of the process, the environmental factors’ impact on the calculated rate constants was negligible. The impact of the environmental factors on the kinetic parameters and methane potential from performing a BMP test at different geographical locations around the world was simulated by adjusting the data according to the ambient temperature and pressure of some chosen model sites. The largest effect on the methane potential was registered from tests performed at high altitudes due to a low ambient pressure. The results from this study illustrate the importance of considering the environmental factors’ influence on volumetric gas measurement in BMP tests. This is essential to achieve trustworthy and standardised results that can be used by researchers and end users from all over the world.     

Micro-treatment options for components of organic fraction of MSW in residential areas

There is a growing interest in management of MSW through micro-treatment of organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (OFMSW) in many cities of India. The OFMSW fraction is high (>80%) in many pockets within South Indian cities like Bangalore, Chikkamagalur, etc. and is largely represented by vegetable, fruit, packing and garden wastes. Among these, the last three have shown problems for easy decomposition. Fruit wastes are characterized by a large pectin supported fraction that decomposes quickly to organic acids (becomes pulpy) that eventually slow down anaerobic and aerobic decomposition processes. Paper fraction (newsprint and photocopying paper) as well as paddy straw (packing), bagasse (from cane juice stalls) and tree leaf litter (typical garden waste and street sweepings) are found in reasonably large proportions in MSW. These decompose slowly due to poor nutrients or physical state. We have examined the suitability of these substrates for micro-composting in plastic bins by tracking decomposition pattern and physical changes. It was found that fruit wastes decompose rapidly to produce organic acids and large leachate fraction such that it may need to be mixed with leachate absorbing materials (dry wastes) for good composting. Leaf litter, paddy straw and bagasse decompose to the tune of 90, 68 and 60% VS and are suitable for composting micro-treatment. Paper fractions even when augmented with 10% leaf compost failed to show appreciable decomposition in 50 days. All these feedstocks were found to have good biological methane potential (BMP) and showed promise for conversion to biogas under a mixed feed operation. Suitability of this approach was verified by operating a plug-flow type anaerobic digester where only leaf litter gathered nearby (as street sweepings) was used as feedstock. Here only a third of the BMP was realized at this scale (0.18 m³ biogas/kg VS 0.55 m³/kg in BMP). We conclude that anaerobic digestion in plug-flow like digesters appear a more suitable micro-treatment option (2–10 kg VS/day) because in addition to compost it also produces biogas for domestic use nearby.     

MODELING COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROGRAMS ON TWO FLORIDA BASINS1

ABSTRACT: A model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative “best management practice” (BMP) implementation schemes on two agricultural basins in Florida. The model selectively applies BMPs throughout the basin on a field by field basis, estimates the associated costs, and predicts the relative water quality improvement (reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus). The water quality model links field scale simulation (for detailed BMP evaluation) with basin delivery and attenuation functions to predict the basin-wide effects of any combination of BMPs. Fifteen BMP scenarios were evaluated to aid in prioritizing BMPs for implementation in these basins. Applying the maximum level of BMPs is estimated to cost around $1.2 million (annually), while the four most cost-effective BMPs would cost only one quarter as much, yet are projected to provide approximately 90 percent of the water quality improvement.     

A LONG‐TERM,WATERSHED‐SCALE,EVALUATION OF THE IMPACTS OF ANIMAL WASTE BMPs ON INDICATOR BACTERIA CONCENTRATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Driven by increasing concerns about bacterial pollution from agricultural sources, states such as Virginia have initiated cost sharing programs that encourage the use of animal waste best management practices (BMPs) to control this pollution. Although a few studies have shown that waste management BMPs are effective at the field scale, their effectiveness at the watershed scale and over the long term is unknown. The focus of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs in reducing bacterial pollution at the watershed scale and over the long term. To accomplish this goal, a 1,163 ha watershed located in the Piedmont region of Virginia was monitored over a ten‐year period. Fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal streptococci (FS) were measured as indicators of bacterial pollution. A pre‐BMP versus post‐BMP design was adopted. Major BMPs implemented were manure storage facilities, stream fencing, water troughs, and nutrient management. Seasonal Kendall trend analysis revealed a significant decreasing trend during the post‐BMP period for FC concentrations at the watershed outlet, but not at the subwatershed level. Implementation of BMPs also resulted in a significant reduction in the geometric mean of FS concentrations. FC concentrations in streamflow at the watershed outlet exceeded the Virginia primary standard 86 and 74 percent of the time during pre‐BMP and post‐BMP periods, respectively. Corresponding exceedances for the secondary standard were 50 and 41 percent. Violations decreased only slightly during the post‐BMP period. The findings of this study suggest that although BMP implementation can be expected to accomplish some improvement in water quality, BMP implementation alone may not ensure compliance with current water quality standards.     

FOREST COVER,IMPERVIOUS‐SURFACE AREA,AND THE MITIGATION OF STORMWATER IMPACTS1

ABSTRACT: For 20 years, King County, Washington, has implemented progressively more demanding structural and nonstructural strategies in an attempt to protect aquatic resources and declining salmon populations from the cumulative effects of urbanization. This history holds lessons for planners, engineers, and resource managers throughout other urbanizing regions. Detention ponds, even with increasingly restrictive designs, have still proven inadequate to prevent channel erosion. Costly structural retrofits of urbanized watersheds can mitigate certain problems, such as flooding or erosion, but cannot restore the predevelopment flow regime or habitat conditions. Widespread conversion of forest to pasture or grass in rural areas, generally unregulated by most jurisdictions, degrades aquatic systems even when watershed imperviousness remains low. Preservation of aquatic resources in developing areas will require integrated mitigation, which must including impervious‐surface limits, forest‐retention policies, stormwater detention, riparian‐buffer maintenance, and protection of wetlands and unstable slopes. New management goals are needed for those watersheds whose existing development precludes significant ecosystem recovery; the same goals cannot be achieved in both developed and undeveloped watersheds.     

WATERSHED LEVEL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE SELECTION AND PLACEMENT IN THE TOWN BROOK WATERSHED, NEW YORK1

Abstract: For a number of years, best management practices (BMPs) have been implemented within the Town Brook watershed as part of a watershed wide effort to reduce phosphorus losses to the New York City water supply reservoirs. Currently, there are no quantitative indications of the effectiveness of these practices at the watershed scale. Additionally, work is needed to evaluate management practice solutions for costs in relation to effectiveness. In this study we develop a methodology for evaluating management solutions to determine the best way(s) to select and place management practices so that pollutant removal targets are met at minimum cost. The study combines phosphorus losses as simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), management practice effectiveness estimates from a predeveloped characterization tool, and practice costs in optimizations using a genetic algorithm. For a user defined target phosphorus removal (60 percent for this study), optimization favors nutrient management plans, crop rotations, contour strip cropping, and riparian forest buffers; the most cost effective scenario achieves a cost effectiveness of 24/kg phosphorus removal per year compared to the 34/kg phosphorus removal per year associated with the current basic implementation scheme. The study suggests that there is a need to evaluate potential solutions prior to implementation and offers a means of generating and evaluating the solutions.