Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Municipal Solid Waste in a Rural Locality-Study Case: Cosautlán De Carvajal, Veracruz, Mexico
Lorena De Medina-Salas, Eduardo Castillo-González, Rabindranarth Romero-López

Abstract
To design and develop integrated waste management systems is necessary to have information of the physical and chemical characteristics of municipal solid waste (MSW), which is practically nil in Mexico. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the physical (humidity, ashes, and specific heat) and chemical characteristics (pH, organic matter and sulfur) of MSW generated in the locality of Cosautlán de Carvajal, Veracruz, Mexico. A representative sampling of MSW was taken following the Mexican environmental regulations. The results revealed 65.9% of maximum humidity, 11 to 18.57% of ashes, and 1.008 to 1.53 cal/gº C of specific heat values for the MSW. Regarding its chemical characteristics, the MSW pH values were neutral, approximately 50% of the MSW corresponded to organic matter, and the maximum sulfur value was 1.862%. In conclusion, the results suggest that the MSW in the municipality of Cosautlán de Carvajal, Veracruz may undergo biological and thermal treatments. Thus, vermicomposting becomes as a suitable alternative as final treatment process to the organic fraction.

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