Monitoring the organic matter properties in a combined anaerobic/aerobic full-scale municipal source-separated waste treatment plant

Respiration indices (dynamic and cumulative) and the anaerobic biogasification potential are applied to the quantitative calculation of the biodegradation efficiency in a combined anaerobic/aerobic treatment for the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). They also permit to observe possible deficiencies in some parts of the entire sequence of organic matter decomposition. On the contrary, chemical methods presented a limited utility. Dynamic respiration indices highlighted that anaerobic digestion was the most efficient step to reduce the respiration activity of the waste (61% calculated on a DRI24h basis). Respirometric activity of final compost was 93% lower than initial OFMSW confirming the overall efficiency of the plant studied and the stability of the final product (0.3 g O2 kg TS−1 h−1). Finally, the use of an advanced methodology such as the Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transformed (DRIFT) allows the determination of the main functional groups of organic matter, which significantly change during the biological treatment of organic matter.