Significant quantity of organic solid waste with favorable characteristics for integral utilization in anaerobic biostabilization is produced in free markets and supply centers. The process is conducted in anaerobic batch reactors (ABR), with detention time of solids varying from 250 to 300 days, producing biogas with about 60% of methane, besides the partially biostabilized organic compost as the final product. In this study, the organic solid waste used was typically of vegetables, originated from the supply centers, free markets and sanitary wastewater sludge. The experimental system used was basically constituted of a batch anaerobic reactor of 2200 L capacity, besides the other complementary devices. The experimental system was installed and monitored during the period of January to September 2001 at the Experimental Station for Biological Treatment of Sanitary Sewage, located at Tambor, Campina Grande, in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. During the process of monitoring the systematic characterization of the solid, liquid and gaseous fractions were realized. After analyzing the data, the feasibility of this alternative treatment, was evidenced although the economic viability in comparison to other technological alternatives of treatment of organic solid waste remains to be tested.
anaerobic; batch reactor; solid waste; biogas; sludge
