Influência da Concentração de sólidos totais e temperatura na bioestabilização anaeróbia de resíduos sólidos orgânicos

Abstract

About 260 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is collected daily in Brazil and due to lack of proper management, these wastes are disposed of improperly usually impacting the environment. In the final destinations, the organic solid waste (OSW) present in MSW, undergo biodegradation, producing leachate and greenhouse gases. The vegetable solids wastes (VSW) portion of the OSW should be highlighted regarding the treatment, as they are generated in large quantities in central supply and can therefore be a major risk to the environment. An alternative that stands under the OSW treatment is anaerobic digestion, due produce CH as the final product, considering as a source of renewable energy. In this study was analyzed the behavior of the anaerobic digestion of VSW in anaerobic batch reactor (ABR), and the influence of ambient temperatures (average 21.5°C), 40 and 50°C and total solids of 36.2, 48.5 and 59.9 gST.L -1 in its biostabilization. The experimental system was installed and monitored on the premises of the Experimental Station for Biological Treatment of Sewage at the State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande - PB. The substrates used to feed the reactors were prepared from the mixture of VSW and anaerobic sewage sludge, originating from a UASB reactor. 27 ABR were monitored, 12 with 2.30 liters and 15 with 1.15 liter of volume unit, being allowed to about 15% of the volume for the head-space. The quantification of the volume of biogas was performed daily and determination of its composition, by gas chromatography, weekly. After 160 days of monitoring, the reactors were unloaded and the biostabilized substrate was characterized. Among the conditions studied, it was observed that the best treatment that favored the anaerobic digestion was for reactors with a substrate containing total solids of 36.2 gST.L-1 at room temperature, resulting in removal efficiency 28.5% of total COD, volume 23.85 liters of biogas, 9.05 liters of CH4 and CH maximum percentage of 56% in the biogas. Thus, anaerobic digestion can be considered a viable alternative for the treatment of VSW, taking advantage of its potential energy in a rational manner and reducing the volume of waste going to landfills and/or landfills.