EFECTOS DE LA RECIRCULACIÓN DE LIXIVIADOS SOBRE LAS PROPIEDADES FÍSICAS Y QUÍMICAS DE LOS RSU SOMETIDOS A DIGESTIÓN ANAERÓBICA

This paper studies the effect of leachate recirculation in municipal solid waste under anaerobic conditions. Different leachate recirculation rates were used for the experimentation, using 40, 60 and 80% of the volume of MSW loaded (% v/v) to an anaerobic bioreactor; the physical and chemical changes in MSW produced by the leachate recirculation were analyzed. The changes in the MSW matrix were monitored for 195 days. In the experiment, three groups of seven bioreactors were operated using leachate recirculation and an additional group was operated without recirculation. A bioreactor was dismantled in each group periodically and the solid content was analyzed for pH, percentage of lignin and cellulose, heat capacity and buffering capacity. Except pH, all other physical and chemical properties studied in this work were affected by the leachate recirculation.