Physicochemical monitoring of a pilot scale bioreactor treating municipal solid waste in the city of Campina Grande (PB), Brazil

ABSTRACT

Monitoring physicochemical parameters is highly relevant because they indicate the conditions in which degradation phenomena occur. The parameters of pH, BOD and COD enable the process of decomposition of municipal solid waste to be monitored because they indicate the evolution of the microbial degradation of organic matter and the overall process of stabilization of the mass of wastes. This study involves an evaluation of the decomposition of municipal solid waste (MSW) deposited in a bioreactor in the city of Campina Grande, PB, Brazil based on physical and physicochemical parameters. To this end, a bioreactor was constructed that simulates a real-scale landfill. The results indicated that the waste initially contained high concentrations of COD and BOD and low values of pH. During the monitoring period, the pH increased while the COD and BOD concentrations decreased. It can be concluded that the biodegradation of the waste effectively developed in accordance with the degradation time for the monitored period, the organic matter is in an advanced stage of decomposition.

Keywords:
physicochemical; waste solid; bioreactor.