Biochar addition accelerates the humification process by affecting the microbial community during human excreta composting

Abstract

ABSTRACT Biochar addition plays an important role in manure composting, but its driving mechanism on microbial succession and humification process of human excreta composting is still unclear. In the present study, the mechanism of biochar addition was explored by analysing the humification process and microbial succession pattern of human excreta aerobic composting without and with 10% biochar (HF and BHF). Results indicated that BHF improved composting temperature, advanced the thermophilic phase by 1 d, increased the germination index by 49.03%, promoted the growth rate of humic acid content by 17.46%, and raised the compost product with the ratio of humic acid to fulvic acid (HA/FA) by 16.19%. Biochar regulated the diversity of fungi and bacteria, increasing the relative abundance of Planifilum, Meyerozyma and Melanocarpus in the thermophilic phase, and Saccharomonospora, Flavobacterium, Thermomyces and Remersonia in the mature phase, which accelerates the humification. Bacterial communities’ succession had an obvious correlation with the total carbon, total nitrogen, and temperature (P < 0.05), while the succession of fungal communities was influenced by the HA/FA and pH (P < 0.05). This study could provide a reference for the improvement of on-site human excreta harmless by extending the thermophilic phase, and facilitating the humification in human excreta compost with biochar addition.