Journal article

Publication year: 2006

Pages: 473-485

Journal: Biodegradation

Volume number: 17

Issue number: 5

ISSN: 0923-9820

eISSN: 1572-9729

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-9019-5

Publisher: Springer

Abstract: 
Biodegradation of organic matter is required to reduce the potential of municipal solid waste for producing gaseous emissions and leaching contaminants. Therefore, we studied leachates of an aerobic-treated waste from municipal solids and a sewage sludge mixture that were re-circulated to decrease the concentration of biodegradable organic matter in laboratory-scale reactors. After 12 months, the total organic C and biological and chemical oxygen demands were reduced, indicating the biodegradation of organic compounds in the leachates. Curie-point pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) revealed that phenols, alkylaromatic compounds, N-containing compounds and carbohydrates were the predominate compounds in the leachates and solid waste. Leachate re-circulation led to a higher thermal stability of the residual organic matter as indicated by temperature-resolved Py-FIMS. Admixture of sewage sludge to solid waste was less effective in removing organic compounds from the leachates. It resulted in drastic higher and more bio-resistant loads of organic matter in the leachates and revealed increased proportions of alkylaromatic compounds. The biodegradation of organic matter in leachates, re-circulated through municipal solid waste, offers the potential for improved aerobic waste treatments and should be investigated on a larger scale.

Harvard Citation style: Franke, M., Jandl, G. and Leinweber, P. (2006) Organic compounds in re-circulated leachates of aerobic biological treated municipal solid waste, Biodegradation, 17(5), pp. 473-485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-9019-5

APA Citation style: Franke, M., Jandl, G., & Leinweber, P. (2006). Organic compounds in re-circulated leachates of aerobic biological treated municipal solid waste. Biodegradation. 17(5), 473-485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-9019-5