Raj Gandhi
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
This study investigates the biodegradation of municipal solid waste (MSW) through aerobic composting under controlled engineering conditions representative of the year 2015. A pilot-scale composting reactor was designed to maintain optimal temperature, moisture, and aeration for microbial activity. Five research objectives guided the experimental program: (1) to characterize the physicochemical properties of raw MSW, (2) to determine the effect of aeration rate on organic matter degradation, (3) to evaluate temperature profiles and corresponding microbial activity, (4) to model the kinetics of biodegradation using first‐order reaction equations, and (5) to assess the quality of the final compost product. Statistical analysis, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), was performed on measured parameters, and simulation research using MATLAB’s ODE solver was conducted to simulate oxygen diffusion and substrate degradation kinetics. Results indicated that an aeration rate of 0.5 L air/min·kg dry waste achieved maximum degradation efficiency of 65% over 28 days. The simulated kinetic model closely matched experimental data with R² = 0.92. The final compost met quality standards for nutrient content and stability. This work demonstrates the feasibility of engineered aerobic composting for MSW management using technologies available up to 2015.
Keywords
Biodegradation, Municipal Solid Waste, Aerobic Composting, Reaction Kinetics, Aeration Rate
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