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Assessing the effects of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash on the decomposition of biodegradable waste using a completely mixed anaerobic reactor

Assessing the effects of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash on the decomposition of biodegradable waste using a completely mixed anaerobic reactor
Assessing the effects of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash on the decomposition of biodegradable waste using a completely mixed anaerobic reactor
Experimental lab scale anaerobic reactors were used to assess the effect of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash on the process of biodegradation of organic materials typical of those found in municipal solid waste (MSW). Three reactors were used in the trial and each of these received the same daily organic load of simulated MSW but varying loads of MSWI bottom ash. The reactors were monitored over a period of 200 days for pH, alkalinity, volatile acids, total organic carbon (TOC), biogas production, gas composition and heavy metals. The addition of ash appeared to have beneficial effects on the degradation process as there was an increase in gas production, alkalinity, and pH, coupled with a decrease in the TOC concentration of leachate when compared with a control reactor without MSWI ash addition. After 200 days operation, the alkalinity and gas production in the anaerobic reactor receiving 6g ash per day was twice that of the reactor receiving 3g of ash per day and four times that of the control reactor. A number of tests were carried out on the ash sample to investigate the possible reasons for enhancement of the biodegradative process. These included a shake flask batch leaching test using distilled water, determination of the acid neutralising capacity by titration curve, and the quantification of six heavy metals and four light metals. In the reactors receiving ash the concentrations of Ca, Na, K, Mg ions were found to be significantly higher and these may provide a higher alkalinity which could promote the digestion process. Soluble concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were in the range of 0.02-0.2, 0.01-2.5, 0.01-0.3, 0.01-1, 0.01-1.2, and 0.01-1 mgl-1 respectively and at these concentrations it is unlikely that they would prove inhibitory to the digestion process.
municipal solid waste, incineration, heavy metals, anaerobic digestion, biodegradation, leaching, acid neutralising capacity, wmr 609-6
0734-242X
225-234
Banks, Charles J.
5c6c8c4b-5b25-4e37-9058-50fa8d2e926f
Lo, Huang-Mu
91cb33f4-8c36-43c2-ab66-9b09a38bcfe6
Banks, Charles J.
5c6c8c4b-5b25-4e37-9058-50fa8d2e926f
Lo, Huang-Mu
91cb33f4-8c36-43c2-ab66-9b09a38bcfe6

Banks, Charles J. and Lo, Huang-Mu (2003) Assessing the effects of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash on the decomposition of biodegradable waste using a completely mixed anaerobic reactor. Waste Management & Research, 21 (3), 225-234.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Experimental lab scale anaerobic reactors were used to assess the effect of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash on the process of biodegradation of organic materials typical of those found in municipal solid waste (MSW). Three reactors were used in the trial and each of these received the same daily organic load of simulated MSW but varying loads of MSWI bottom ash. The reactors were monitored over a period of 200 days for pH, alkalinity, volatile acids, total organic carbon (TOC), biogas production, gas composition and heavy metals. The addition of ash appeared to have beneficial effects on the degradation process as there was an increase in gas production, alkalinity, and pH, coupled with a decrease in the TOC concentration of leachate when compared with a control reactor without MSWI ash addition. After 200 days operation, the alkalinity and gas production in the anaerobic reactor receiving 6g ash per day was twice that of the reactor receiving 3g of ash per day and four times that of the control reactor. A number of tests were carried out on the ash sample to investigate the possible reasons for enhancement of the biodegradative process. These included a shake flask batch leaching test using distilled water, determination of the acid neutralising capacity by titration curve, and the quantification of six heavy metals and four light metals. In the reactors receiving ash the concentrations of Ca, Na, K, Mg ions were found to be significantly higher and these may provide a higher alkalinity which could promote the digestion process. Soluble concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were in the range of 0.02-0.2, 0.01-2.5, 0.01-0.3, 0.01-1, 0.01-1.2, and 0.01-1 mgl-1 respectively and at these concentrations it is unlikely that they would prove inhibitory to the digestion process.

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More information

Published date: June 2003
Keywords: municipal solid waste, incineration, heavy metals, anaerobic digestion, biodegradation, leaching, acid neutralising capacity, wmr 609-6

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 53860
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/53860
ISSN: 0734-242X
PURE UUID: ad78617a-db20-4380-895c-804c4ab05ded
ORCID for Charles J. Banks: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6795-814X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 25 Jul 2008
Last modified: 23 Jul 2022 01:40

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Contributors

Author: Huang-Mu Lo

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