Abstract
Insects have a vital role in solid waste composting process. Insects are detritus feeders that enhance changing the physical and chemical properties of decomposed materials during composting processes. This behavior makes insects excellent organisms in recycling of organic matter. The present study assesses the success of insects’ population in relation with the degradation of solid waste. The study was carried out in the glass house facility of the College of Science, Salahaddin University in Erbil City, Kurdistan region of Iraq, using household organic waste. During composting process, three stages of lifecycle of insects were observed and recorded. The total number of insects reached to 1268 individuals, belonging to the orders Coleoptera and Diptera, class Insects. Diptera individuals were the most abundant insects with 95.4% of the total belonged to four families (Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Ulidiidae and Milichiidae). Coleoptera individuals represented 4.6% of the total number, belonging to three families (Promecheilidae, Staphylinidae and Salpingidae). The measured physicochemical characteristics of the compost included: pH, EC, moisture, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorous and organic matter. The pH value of the composts ranged from 7.79 to 7.97. Organic carbon content and organic matter content ranged from 20.16 to 26.99 % and 34.67 to 46.23 %, respectively. It can concluded that household waste compost is not just a waste but has the potential to be transformed into a good quality organic fertilizer through composting. Composting can convert solid organic waste into a valuable added material.
Highlights
The rapid growth of industrialization and urbanization is continuously resulting in magnification of waste generation
The aim of this study is to evaluate the insects’ role during the composting process of urban solid waste, and to provide information about the relationship between insects and physicochemical parameters during composting process
The results showed that the pH value of household composts was in neutrality level that ranged between 7.79 and 7.97
Summary
The rapid growth of industrialization and urbanization is continuously resulting in magnification of waste generation. Composting is the process of converting the waste into useful product such as humus or manure which can be further used for plant nutrition and disease management It involves the amalgamation of various physical, chemical and biological parameters. Total organic nitrogen in the compost samples was determined by Micro- Kjeldhal method. Throughout the present study, the moisture content of compost samples ranged from 9.81 to 28.42 %. The moisture content was high but it was decreased after decomposition of organic matter. The percentage of organic carbon decreased, which reflects the decomposition of waste by microbial population [21]. Increased nitrogen content through the maturation phase could be possibly caused by strong degradation of labile organic carbon compounds which decrease the weight of composting materials [26].
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