@article{wang_barlaz_1998, title={Anaerobic biodegradability of alkylbenzenes and phenol by landfill derived microorganisms}, volume={25}, ISSN={["1574-6941"]}, DOI={10.1111/j.1574-6941.1998.tb00492.x}, abstractNote={The objectives of this research were to evaluate the anaerobic biodegradability of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, phenol and p-cresol by microorganisms present in decomposing refuse and to study the effects of environmental conditions, pertinent to landfills, on the anaerobic degradation of phenol and p-cresol by refuse derived microbial consortia. Microbial inocula were derived from refuse from both landfills and laboratory reactors. While toluene biodegradation was only measured with one inoculum, broad degradation for phenol and p-cresol was measured. Cultures enriched on refuse were then derived from two samples to evaluate conservation of degradative activity against phenol. In one enrichment, phenol degrading activity was maintained after 6 months, while this activity decreased in a second culture. Phenol and p-cresol enrichment cultures also exhibited activity against other hydroxyl-substituted aromatics but not mono-chlorinated phenols. Cellulosic carbon and soluble trace constituents extracted from fresh refuse stimulated phenol degradation with one enrichment. However, the cellulosic carbon was inhibitory to the other phenol and p-cresol enrichment cultures. The pH optima for all cultures were between 6.5 and 7.0. Finally, a high concentration of acetate prevented the efficient removal of benzoate and consequently inhibited phenol degradation. Landfills were shown to be a habitat harboring anaerobic microbial populations capable of degrading toluene and hydroxyl-substituted aromatics, suggesting that contaminant degradation may be maximized with proper landfill management.}, number={4}, journal={FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY}, author={Wang, YS and Barlaz, MA}, year={1998}, month={Apr}, pages={405–418} }
 @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} }
 @article{wang_byrd_barlaz_1994, title={Anaerobic biodegradability of cellulose and hemicellulose in excavated refuse samples using a biochemical methane potential assay}, volume={13}, ISSN={0169-4146 1476-5535}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf01583999}, DOI={10.1007/BF01583999}, abstractNote={Improved techniques are needed to predict potential methane generation from refuse buried in landfills. The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test was used to measure the methane potential of ten refuse samples excavated from a Berkeley, CA, landfill. The test was conducted in 125-ml serum bottles containing phosphate-buffered medium and inoculated with anaerobically digested sewage sludge. Comparison of the measured BMP to the theoretical BMP calculated from measured cellulose and hemicellulose concentrations indicated that cellulose plus hemicellulose is not well correlated with the measured BMP. The average of the measured to theoretical BMP was 19.1% (range 0-53%, s.d. = 16.9%). Measured sulfate concentrations showed that sulfate was an insignificant electron sink in the samples tested. Once methane production from the refuse was complete, 0.072 g of Whatman no. 1 filter paper was added to two of the four serum bottles incubated for each sample. An average of 84.9% (s.d. = 2.5%) of the added filter paper was recovered as methane, suggesting that some cellulose and hemicellulose present in refuse is recalcitrant or otherwise not bioavailable.}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Industrial Microbiology}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Wang, Yu-Sheng and Byrd, Caroline S. and Barlaz, Morton A.}, year={1994}, month={May}, pages={147–153} }