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Development of an enzymatic assay for the determination of cellulose bioavailability in municipal solid waste

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Abstract

As there is a constant need to assess the biodegradation potential of refuse disposed of in landfills, we have developed a method to evaluate the biodegradability of cellulosic compounds (cellulose and hemicellulose) in municipal solid waste. This test is based on the quantification of monosaccharides released after the hydrolysis of solid waste samples with an optimised enzyme preparation containing commercially available cellulases and hemicellulases. We show that the amounts of monosaccharides could be related to the biodegradability of the cellulosic material contained in the samples. This enzymatic cellulose degradation test was assayed on 37 samples originating from three Belgian landfills and collected at different depths. As results correlated well with those obtained with a classical biochemical methane potential assay, this new and rapid test is sufficiently reliable to evaluate cellulose bioavailability in waste samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Walloon Center of Industrial Biology, Unit of Microbial Technology, University of Liège, Bd. du Rectorat B40, B-4000, Sart-Tilman, Belgium

    Christian Rodriguez, Serge Hiligsmann, Marc Ongena & Philippe Thonart

  2. Walloon Center of Industrial Biology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Gembloux, Unit of Bio-Industries, Passage des Déportés, 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Philippe Thonart

  3. Department of Géomac, University of Liège, B52/3, B-4000, Sart-Tilman, Belgium

    Robert Charlier

Authors
  1. Christian Rodriguez
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  2. Serge Hiligsmann
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  3. Marc Ongena
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  4. Robert Charlier
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  5. Philippe Thonart
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Correspondence to Christian Rodriguez.

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Rodriguez, C., Hiligsmann, S., Ongena, M. et al. Development of an enzymatic assay for the determination of cellulose bioavailability in municipal solid waste. Biodegradation 16, 415–422 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-004-3575-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-004-3575-y

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