Development Of An Enzymatic Assay For The Determination Of Cellulose Bioavailability In Municipal Solid Waste

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 monosaccharids 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 monosaccharids could be
related to the biodegradability of the cellulosic material contained in the samples. This
enzymatic cellulose degradation test was assayed on 26 samples originating from two
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.