Seog Ku Kim*, Saburo Matsui*, Sandeep Pareek* and Yoshihisa Shimizu*

* Research Center for Environmental Quality Control, Kyoto University

+ Correspondence should be addressed to Seog Ku Kim:
(1-2 Yumihama, Otsu City, Shiga, 520-0811 Japan)

Abstract

In order to assess the progression of the degradation characteristics of cellulose and lignin under sulfate reducing and methanogenic conditions, four pilot scale simulated landfill columns were prepared and operated. According to the results of this research, very favorable pH and extreme reducing conditions prevailed in partially and fully saturated sulfate reducing reactors. Higher concentrations of hydrolysis products of cellulose (i.e., glucose) and lignin (i.e., aromatic lignin derivatives) along with higher COD and TOC in the leachates from the sulfate reducing columns as compared to those from the methanogenic columns, indicated a faster rate of mineralization of cellulose and lignin loaded in the columns. In the sulfate reducing columns, methane and carbon dioxide gas production was effectively suppressed.

Key words: landfill, methane production, sulfate reduction, recalcitrant organic matters