Influence of municipal solid waste biodegradation in settlement in lysimeters

• Grant number: 13/19778-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: March 01, 2014 - August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Basic Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Eglé Novaes Teixeira
• Grantee: Eglé Novaes Teixeira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Bruno Vaz de Oliveira ; Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira ; Miriam Gonçalves Miguel

Abstract

The generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a natural consequence of human existence. Focusing in terms of municipal solid waste, we have: food scraps, garden pruning material, plastic packaging, paper, cardboard, metal, fabric and other materials in small amounts. Among the methods of waste disposal, landfilling has become the predominant method around the world, while maintaining environmental protection, social requirements and economic viability. Besides the advantages mentioned, if well designed, constructed and operated, the landfill can be converted after its closure, for use such as parks, conservation areas or open area for sports. It is important to keep environmental and geotechnical monitoring of the landfill to monitor the gas emissions, the leachate production and the settling of the land. The organic matter from food waste and garden pruning that comprise MSW undergoes biodegradation, resulting in the movement of the landfill. This phenomenon is primarily responsible for displacements in landfill. The influence of waste biodegradation in landfill displacements during its life span and after its closing is important to prevent the inappropriate use of the area. Biodegradation occurs by the action of microorganisms that form microbial consortia, occurring mainly in anaerobic conditions. Due to the high difficulty in studying micro-organisms by plating, especially under anaerobic conditions, there are few studies that evaluate them in landfills. The use of large-scale lysimeters in laboratory research has been presented as an alternative to minimize the costs of full-scale experiments or as a complement, seeking specific studies, such as a comparison of the different treatments of MSW, at a reasonable cost, with the aim of improving on the operation of landfills and to study the influence of a factor in the treatment of MSW, such as biodegradation. Since they have minimum dimensions to avoid interference of environmental conditions on biological processes and all heterogeneity of size and composition of the residue is represented, lysimeters can simulate approximately the geomechanical and biological transformations that the MSW undergoes in landfills. Therefore, this study will investigate the influence of biodegradation in the vertical displacement of the RSU, using a total of 6 lysimeters, each with 3.5 m3. In half of the lysimeters, biodegradation will be inhibited in order to check its isolated effect on displacement of MSW, aiming to predict possible settlements that may, by reducing the volume of waste, extend the life span of the landfill, cause damage to infrastructure of leachate drainage and uptake of gases or interfere with the use of post-closure landfill. In addition, it will be evaluated the microorganisms present in MSW and leachate from an experimental cell and lysimeters through pyrosequencing, correlating them with chemical and physical aspects of biodegradation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

THOMAZ FAVERY, RAFAEL LOURENCO; MIGUEL, MIRIAM GONCALVES. Changes in physical, chemical and biological variables of the leachate generated from municipal solid waste subjected to saline solution application. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, v. 31, n. 1, p. 20-pg., 2023-01-01. (13/19778-1)

ARANDA, NATALY; PRADO, RENATO L.; ELIS, VAGNER R.; MIGUEL, MIRIAM GONCALVES; GANDOLFO, OTAVIO C. B.; CONICELLI, BRUNO. Evaluating elastic wave velocities in Brazilian municipal solid waste. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES, v. 78, n. 15, AUG 2019. (10/18560-4, 13/19778-1)