Organic waste biodegradability test bio methane potential method

Management Summary

• The biogas production from a mixture of food waste, garden waste, paper, napkins, plastic, metals and glass and anaerobically digested sludge was monitored until gas production had ceased.
• The homogenised biowaste mixture was subjected to two pre-treatment methods prior to being fed to the BMP reactors, these were:
• pasteurisation at 70oC followed by anaerobic digestion at 55 oC ,and;
• thermal hydrolysis for 20 minutes followed by anaerobic digestion at 40 oC.
• The average methane yield in litres produced per kilogram of volatile solids fed was 106 for the rigs fed with pasteurised waste and 276 litres for the thermally hydrolysed reactors.
• A longer more detailed study whereby bench scale mesophilic anaerobic digesters are fed on a daily basis would be required to accurately determine additional parameters including volatile solids destruction levels and whether or not toxicity is likely to be an issue.