ANAEROBIC TREATMENT OF ORGANIC WASTES WITH LOW CONCENTRATION OF SOLIDS

The object of this study was to evaluate the use of a compartmented anaerobic reactor to treat organic solid waste with low concentration of solids. The reactor with a total capacity of 2.200 liters, divided into 6 equal chambers, was operated at a solid retention time of 90 days. The organic solids used to feed the reactor were comprised by vegetable residues and sanitary sludge in the proportion 80% and 20% respectively. The mixture of these two types of residues after the humidity correction to 95% ( percentage by weight) was used to feed the reactor. The removal efficiency of carbonaceous material was approximately 80% at an organic loading of 9.3 kg residual organic solids m(-3) d(-1). The rate of biogas production was 5.6 L kg(substrate)(-1) ( wet weight) with a methane concentration of 50% by volume.