Studies on the co-disposal of o-cresol with municipal refuse

The impact of o-cresol on the degradation of;municipal refuse from a landfill site in the west of Scotland, was investigated by the use of laboratory models. o-Cresol was anaerobically degraded by a microbial population enriched and isolated from refuse. Physicochemical processes accounted for <30% removal over 85 days. Batch culture studies demonstrated the anaerobic mineralisation of o-cresol (less than or equal to 1 mmol dm(-3)) to methane. The rate of o-cresol attenuation increased with the frequency of o-cresol supplementation. The study acclimatisation showed that 18-49 days were required for initial acclimatisation of an o-cresol degrading microbial association. The initial presence of phenol also induced o-cresol degradation. Leachate recirculation promoted both the production of methane and o-cresol mineralisation.