Control of Two Step Anaerobic Degradation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) by Enzyme Addition

Abstract

The addition of cellulolytic enzymes to MSW has been tried under methanogenic and acidogenic conditions in 0.1 m3 landfill models. An enhanced degradation seems to follow the enzyme addition in both cases. During acidogenic conditions the observed conversion of cellulose was 42 and 29 % respectively, with and without enzyme addition. The enzyme addition did not result in a change from methanogenic to acidogenic conditions. A similar conversion of VS can be achieved during methanogenic and acidogenic conditions; at the completion of this experiment the conversion of VS was in excess of 50 % in the methanogenic models and somewhat lower than 40 % in the acidogenic models (the latter still yielding strong leachates). The results of some standard waste-water analyses were compared and it is concluded that especially acid leachates may cause analytical problems.