Mitigation of ammonia emissions during food waste composting through acetic acid addition: A promising strategy for sustainable waste management

Abstract

This research investigates using acetic acid to reduce ammonia emissions during composting while also evaluating its impact on microbial activity, compost quality, and nitrogen content. Composting is essential for recycling food waste and achieving renewable resource targets, but ammonia emissions pose environmental and health concerns. Addressing these issues is crucial for advancing composting technology and promoting sustainable waste management practices. The study reveals that adjusting the pH of compost piles to pH5, pH6, and pH7 reduced ammonia odor production by 65%, 40%, and 20%, respectively, compared to the control pile without acetic acid. The dominant bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Aneurinibacillus species, played a crucial role in nitrification, leading to significant ammonia reduction during thermophilic and mesophilic phases. Additionally, nitrogen assimilation during composting enriches the nutrient content of the mature compost, as evidenced by seed germination indexes more significant than 80% in the treated piles. These findings contribute to optimizing composting processes and promoting sustainable agricultural circular economies.