Hybrid methodology for the characterization and revalorization of the organic fraction of waste generated in a Mayan community

Abstract

Low-income rural communities suffer from a lack of quality and availability of services that impact their quality of life, such as sanitation facilities or solid waste collection. From an engineering perspective, it is possible to develop solutions that comprehensively address these needs. Domestic biodigesters are a convenient method to dispose of the organic fraction of solid waste; they can function as safely managed sanitary facilities and return useful products to the community such as cooking gas and organic fertilizer. However, successful implementation requires designing a solution according to the needs and resources of each community. The objective of this research was to develop a methodology for the characterization of organic waste generated in a Mayan community located in Yaxuná, Yaxcabá, Yucatán, and to revalorize it through its co-digestion with human excreta in domestic biodigesters. The proposed hybrid methodology (the extended application of questionnaires combined with the physical inspection of a small sample) was able to detect general patterns in the generation of organic wastes that were subsequently analyzed to select those wastes that, due to their characteristics (statistical and physicochemical), can enter the anaerobic digestion process in combination with human excreta. Finally, a mixture of substrates was proposed according to the particularities of Yaxuná. It was estimated that methane production from this mixture would be 53.36 L per person per day.