@article{eleazer_odle_wang_barlaz_1997, title={Biodegradability of municipal solid waste components in laboratory-scale landfills}, volume={31}, ISSN={["0013-936X"]}, DOI={10.1021/es9606788}, abstractNote={The objective of this research was to characterize the anaerobic biodegradability of municipal refuse components by measuring methane yields, the extent of cellulose and hemicellulose decomposition, and leachate toxicity. Tests were conducted in quadruplicate in 2-L reactors operated to obtain maximum yields. Measured methane yields for grass, leaves, branches, food waste, coated paper, old newsprint, old corrugated containers, and office paper were 144.4, 30.6, 62.6, 300.7, 84.4, 74.3, 152.3, and 217.3 mL of CH4/dry g, respectively. Although, as a general trend, the methane yield increased as the cellulose plus hemicellulose content increased, confounding factors precluded establishing a quantitative relationship. Similarly, the degree of lignification of a particular component was not a good predictor of the extent of biodegradation. With the exception of food waste, leachate from the decomposition of refuse components was not toxic as measured by using an anaerobic toxicity assay.}, number={3}, journal={ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY}, author={Eleazer, WE and Odle, WS and Wang, YS and Barlaz, MA}, year={1997}, month={Mar}, pages={911–917} }
 @article{wang_odle_eleazer_barlaz_1997, title={Methane potential of food waste and anaerobic toxicity of leachate produced during food waste decomposition}, volume={15}, ISSN={["0734-242X"]}, DOI={10.1006/wmre.1996.0073}, abstractNote={The objective of this study was to characterize the anaerobic biodegradation of food waste, including its methane potential and the anaerobic toxicity of leachate associated with food waste decomposition. Biodegradation experiments were conducted in 2.2-litre reactors and were seeded with well-decomposed refuse. Despite pH neutralization, reactors seeded with 30% old refuse failed to undergo methanogenesis. Food waste in a second set of reactors, containing 70% seed, produced 300.7 ml CH4dry g−1. Leachate toxicity was evaluated by a modified anaerobic toxicity assay (ATA). The results of ATAs were typically consistent with the methane production behavior of the reactors. However, the toxicity observed in the ATA test could not be simulated with synthetic leachate containing high concentrations of carboxylic acids and sodium. Tests with 20, 5, 15 and 12 g l−1of acetate, propionate, butyrate and sodium, respectively, suggested that high concentrations of butyric acid and sodium inhibited the onset of methane production but that refuse micro-organisms could acclimatize to these concentrations within 5–10 days. The refuse ecosystem was shown to tolerate higher concentrations of undissociated carboxylic acids than previously reported for anaerobic digesters.}, number={2}, journal={WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH}, author={Wang, YS and Odle, WS and Eleazer, WE and Barlaz, MA}, year={1997}, month={Apr}, pages={149–167} }