Conversion of organic carbon in the decomposable organic wastes in anaerobic lysimeters under different temperatures

The quantitative fractions of conversion of organic carbon in the decomposable organic wastes with initial moisture of 70% sorted from municipal solid wastes (MSW) in lysimeters into biogas, leachate and solid residue were characterized, under temperatures of 25, 30 and 41 degrees C, respectively, and circulation of leachate generated within the lysimeter. It is found that 27% of organic carbon in the wastes are conversed into gases, 0.8% into leachate, and the other 72% remained in the decomposable solid residues, after 180 days' degradation at 41 degrees C. Higher temperature will lead to more rapid degradation and result to higher conversion of the organic carbon to biogas and lower to both solid residues and leachate, while the pollutant concentrations in leachate will be lower at a higher temperature and the values of COD are quite consistent with TOC.