Repeated batch approach as a feasible procedure for the acclimatization of anaerobic consortia capable of an effective biomethanization of mechanically-sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste

The acclimatization of anaerobic consortia capable of an effective biomethanization of a mechanically sorted-organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MS-OFMSW) was achieved in this study by following a repeated batch co-digestion approach. Mixtures of MS-OFMSW and cattle manure were processed in successive batch anaerobic digestion processes. Such an approach generally allowed a significantly increasing of the methane production when the MS-OFMSW represented the 30 and 40 % (v/v) of the initial mixture. On the other hand, the acclimated inocula did not adapt efficiently to higher concentration of the target waste MS-OFMSW. The acclimatization of the anaerobic consortia was demonstrated by means of molecular biology tools, by which a high diversity among populations occurring in the experimental matrices and after anaerobic processes was observed.