Multi-stage aeration regime to regulate organic conversion toward gas alleviation and humification in food waste digestate composting

Abstract

Aerobic composting has been considered as a pragmatic technique to convert food waste digestate into high-quality biofertiliser. Nevertheless, massive gaseous emission and immature product remain the primary challenges in food waste digestate composting. Thus, the performance of multi-stage aeration regimes to improve gaseous emissions and organic humification during food waste digestate composting was investigated in this study. In addition to continuous aeration with a constant intensity of 0.3 L kg·dry mass (DM)−1·min−1, two multi-stage decreased aeration regimes were designed as “0.3-0.2-0.1” and “0.3-0.1-0.1” L·kg·DM−1·min−1 from the thermophilic to cooling and then mature stages, respectively. Results showed that the decreased aeration regimes could alleviate nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emission and slightly enhance humification during composting. The alleviated N2O and NH3 emission were mainly contributed by abiotically reducing gaseous release potential as well as biotically inactivating denitrifers (Pusillimonas and Pseudidiomarina) and proliferating Atopobium to reduce nitrate availability under lower aeration supply. The “0.3-0.2-0.1 L kg·DM−1·min−1” regime exhibited a more excellent performance to alleviate N2O and NH3 emission by 27.5% and 16.3%, respectively. Moreover, the decreased aeration regimes also favored the enrichment of functional bacteria (Caldicoprobacter and Syntrophomonas) to accelerate lignocellulosic biodegradation and thus humic acid synthesis by 6.5%–11.2%. Given its better performance to improve gaseous emissions and humification, the aeration regime of “0.3-0.2-0.1 L kg·DM−1·min−1” are recommended in food waste digestate composting in practice.