Food Waste Compost Research Articles

Effects of chemical additives and mature compost on reducing nitrogen loss during food waste composting.

This study is aimed at adding different types of mature compost and sulfur powder, as additives into food waste composting to investigate the effect on nitrogen loss and compost maturity. The composting experiment used the in-vessel composting method and was conducted continuously for 15days. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial community during composting. Results showed that the secondary fermentation mature compost mixed with sulfur powder group had the most reduction of ammonia emission (56%) and the primary fermentation mature compost amendments were the most effective for nitrous oxide emission reduction (37%). The temperature, pH, and nitrogen forms of transformation of the pile significantly affect the nitrogen loss during composting. Firmicutes helped to promote the rapid warming of the pile, and Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria played an important role in decomposition of organic matter. Thermobifida and Ureibacillus had a main contribution to the rapid degradation of organic matter in the process of composting. The relative abundance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria was higher, and the relative abundance of predominantly ammonifying and denitrifying bacteria was lower than the control group, with the addition of different additives.

Assessment of bacteria and fungi in food waste compost using hybrid dehydrated food waste associated with Effective Microorganisms (EM)

Assessment of bacteria and fungi in food waste compost using hybrid dehydrated food waste associated with Effective Microorganisms (EM)

Performance On Nitrogen Rich Component for Composting of Food Waste

Nitrogen-rich components are crucial to achieving successful composting. The problem lies in the lack of comprehensive understanding and evaluation of the performance of different nitrogen-rich components used in composting food waste. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of nitrogen-rich components (NRC) (cow dung, tea leaves, and coffee ground) for composting food waste in terms of compost quality (temperature, moisture content, nutrients content, and plant growth height). The materials used in composting are 1kg of NRC, 1kg of black soil, 1kg of rice husk, 2kg of food waste, and 1 L of Takakura EM in every compost bin. A total of 4 composts were examined, such as compost A (cow dung), B (coffee ground), C (tea leaves), and D (blank). During the composting process, all parameters of the compost were examined, and data collected. Firstly, total nitrogen (N) content results for compost A, B, C, and D are 1.2%, 1.6%, 3%, and 0.7%, respectively, whereas total phosphorus (P) content in compost A, B, C, and D is 3.7 mg/L, 3.8 mg/L, 5 mg/L, and 3.01 mg/L. Lastly, the potassium (K) content in compost A, B, C, and D is 4.56 mg/L, 4.1 mg/L, 5.13 mg/L, and 4.6 mg/L, respectively. Based on the data analysis, Compost C is the most effective compost compared to other NRC compost.

Conservation Analysis of Food Waste Composting: Insight from the Nutrient Content and Compost Quality Index (CQI) Assessment

Compost has a critical role in preserving and conserving soil health and increasing soil fertility, both of which are essential for sustainable agricultural systems. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of effective microorganisms (EM) in composting vegetable waste (VW), fruit waste (FW), and mixed food waste (MFW) using the Takakura Composting Method. During the 30-day composting period, nutrient content, including total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), potassium (K), carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, pH, and phytotoxicity as measured by germination index (GI), were evaluated. The compost quality index (CQI) was also used to evaluate the quality of the compost. The results showed that all VW, FW and MFW had pH values, TN, TP, K and C/N ratios that were within the acceptable range for mature and high-quality compost. The GI of VW and MFW were both above 80%, while FW’s GI was slightly phytotoxic at 79.3%. Based on the CQI score, MFW was found to be a very good compost variant, trailed by VW and FW. The results show that EM can accelerate the production of high-quality compost, which benefits conservation efforts.

Effect of Biochar Amendments on the Co-Composting of Food Waste and Livestock Manure

The global increase in population will result in increased global food production which can, in turn, lead to excessive food waste. Although composting is widely adopted for the conversion of organic waste into value-added products, there are several limitations, such as its lower efficiency in composting food waste without co-composting, the loss of nutrients, and the emission of greenhouse gases. Due to its renowned characteristics, biochar amendments are used during composting to overcome these issues; each waste should be at an appropriate level to yield good quality compost with high nutrient levels. In this study, we co-composted food waste with chicken and swine manure with varying proportions in the presence and absence of biochar to identify the ideal proportion of each raw material and the biochar. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, temperature, bulk density, porosity, C:N ratio, and gaseous emissions were analyzed. The results showed that the desired quality of compost was obtained in the treatment with 5% biochar with 40%, 20%, and 20% of food waste, chicken manure, and swine manure, respectively, and 15% sawdust.

Study on the qualitative assessment of in-vessel food waste compost by indexing method

The consumption of different food-based goods produces a considerable amount of waste that needs to be conserved in an eco-friendly manner. A study was carried out on food waste compost made from the in-vessel compost process for use in agriculture and its marketability for its fertility and contamination potential. Food waste samples were collected from the canteen and hostels of GITAM University, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), India and were transferred to a 125Kg in-vessel food waste composter (Molten Mind F125) and allowed to digest for 24 hrs followed by curing for seven days. After curing, the samples were characterized for nutrient content for fertility index (FI) and heavy metal contamination for clean index (CI). The compost quality index was derived from FI and CI to assess its suitability for agriculture. The pH of the food waste compost sample was reported as 8.4 and the C/N ratio was 28, which was higher than the standard ratio (15-20). The other physicochemical characteristics were analyzed using the standard methods and the concentration of metals was analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ( ICPMS). From the analysis, it was evident that heavy metal concentrations were well within the permissible limits. Further, the compost was characterized to know the fertility index (FI) and contamination index (CI) and its suitability to the soil. FI value was reported as more than 3.1 and CI value more than 4, which indicated that compost was best in quality, having high-value potential and low heavy-metal content, which will be suitable for high-value crops such as organic farming.

Food Waste Conversion to Halal Organic Fertilizers

Up to one-third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted, with negative effects on the environment, society, and the economy. The value contained in kitchen food waste is being recognized more and more, and Brunei Darussalam is among the highest in the region with a solid waste output of 1.4 kg per capita per day. However, it is estimated that only 11.3% of the food waste was recycled, with the remaining portion ending up in landfills. In this context, this paper aims to offer recommendations for the most environmentally beneficial methods of using kitchen food waste, with composting kitchen food waste producing natural, halal, eco-friendly fertilizer. Thus, a two-month experiment was conducted to produce compost-based fertilizer from kitchen food waste. The nutritional value of the plant was then ascertained by fertilizing one plant of bird's eye chillies with compost-based fertilizer (CBF) and another plant with clay-based soil (CBS). Results of this study showed that the nutrients in CBF plants consist % of Total Nitrogen, % Total Phosphorus which are all in the accepted range. Thus, it demonstrates how composting food waste from households can aid in the management of waste reduction for sustainable and a healthy environment, and circular economy.

Passive aerated in-vessel composting of food waste with the addition of Sabah ragi for campus sustainability: mass balance, dwarf crape jasmine growth and techno-economic study

Passive aerated in-vessel composting of food waste with the addition of Sabah ragi for campus sustainability: mass balance, dwarf crape jasmine growth and techno-economic study

Pemilihan Dan Pemanfaatan Sampah Rumah Tangga Ditinjau Dari Segi Nilai Ekonomis

Household waste is the remainder of the process of human activities that is not reused and is considered to be of no use. Many people in Dusun Citeureup I manage their waste by burning it in front or behind their house. Burning garbage is not the right thing because the existing waste has not been separated so that it allows air and soil pollution. The method of implementing this program is counseling, training and mentoring with the practice of composting food waste, making Eco Enzyme leftover fruit peels, and making a vertical cultivation system from used bottles. This program is implemented involving housewives as participants.

Field application of cost-effective sensors for the monitoring of NH3, H2S, and TVOC in environmental treatment facilities and the estimation of odor intensity

ABSTRACT Odor is usually a complex mixture of various compounds. In many countries, odor complaints have been addressed using the air dilution olfactory method (ADOM) to reduce their malodor complaint. In this study, continuous monitoring of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) using sensors was conducted in facilities for municipal and livestock wastewater treatment (LWT), and for food waste composting (FWC). Odor intensity was modeled by multivariate linear regression using sensor monitoring data with air dilution measured by the ADOM. In testing the performance of sensors in the lab, all three sensors showed acceptable values for linearity, accuracy, repeatability, lowest detection limit, and response time, so the sensors were acceptable for application in the field. In on-site real-time monitoring, the three sensors functioned well in the three environmental facilities during the testing period. Average ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations were high in the LWT facility, while TVOC showed the highest concentration in the FWC facility. A longer sampling time is necessary for ammonia monitoring. Odor intensity from individual sensor data correlated well to complex odor measured by the ADOM. Finally, we suggest a protocol for field application of sensor monitoring and odor data reproduction. Implications: We suggest a protocol for the field application of sensor monitoring and odor data estimation in this study. This study can be useful to a policy maker and field operator to reduce odor emission through the determination of a more effective treatment technology and removal pathway for individual odorants.

Research Update on Food Waste Composting: A Bibliometric Analysis and Way Forward

Research Update on Food Waste Composting: A Bibliometric Analysis and Way Forward

Improving the Water Retention Characteristics of Sandy Soil using Food Waste Compost Amendment and Indigenous Microorganisms

Improving the Water Retention Characteristics of Sandy Soil using Food Waste Compost Amendment and Indigenous Microorganisms

Impact of Different Livestock Manures on the Compost Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions during Food Waste Composting

Although livestock manure and food waste have emerged to be main issues to cause environmental problems, at the same time, and recycle natural resources, the simultaneous treatment method and impact of two organic wastes are not well understood. In this research, the influence of different types of livestock manures combination on compost maturity, greenhouse gas (GHG) and NH3 emission was evaluated during food waste composting. Apart from a control treatment (only food waste, OF), three co-composting treatments were conducted: (1) food waste + cow manure (FCM); (2) food waste + swine manure (FSM); and (3) food waste + poultry manure (FPM). An 84-day composting experiment was conducted in 62 L composting chamber. During composting process, changes of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3) emissions and compost pile; temperature, pH, nutrient content, etc., were periodically investigated. The co-composting with livestock manures significantly reduced nitrogen losses by NH3 (11.5 - 44.2%) and N2O (39.1 - 49.7%) emissions. The lowest NH3 emission were observed in FSM treatment. The highest CH4 and N2O production was detected in FCM and OF treatment, respectively. The global warming potential (GWP) value was calculated to evaluate overall GHG impact, then FSM showed the lowest GWP value (7.0 kg CO2 eq. kg-1), which is 109% reduction rate compared to FC (highest GWP, 14.7 kg CO2 eq. kg-1). Nutrients content such as Ca, Mg, and K of final compost product were increased by 33 - 76%, 17 - 76%, 60 - 90% in livestock manure combination treatments. Germination index was increased in FSM and FPM, compared to OF during composting, and then they could accelerate maturation rate. These results suggested that co-composting with food waste and livestock manures is recommendable to improve compost quality, especially, swine manure was an efficient material to reduce GHG and nitrogen loss by NH3 for food waste composting.Total global warming potential (GWP) and ammonia flux of different co-composting treatments during composting process.

Biodegradation of high di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) concentration by food waste composting and its toxicity assessment using seed germination test

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer derived from phthalate ester, is used as an additive in industrial products such as plastics, paints, and medical devices. However, DEHP is known as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, causing cancers and adverse effects on human health. This study evaluated DEHP biodegradation efficiency via food waste composting during 35 days of incubation. At high DEHP concentrations (2167 mg kg−1) in food waste compost mixture, the DEHP biodegradation efficiency was 99% after 35 days. The highest degradation efficiency was recorded at the thermophilic phase (day 3 - day 11) with the biodegradation rate reached 187 mg kg−1 day−1. DEHP was metabolized to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and would be oxidized to benzyl alcohol (BA) and mineralized into CO2 and water via various metabolisms. Finally, the compost's quality with residual DEHP was evaluated using Brassica chinensis L. seeds via 96 h of germination tests. The compost (at day 35) with a trace amount of DEHP as the end product showed no significant effect on the germination rate of Brassica chinensis L. seeds (88%) compared to that without DEHP (94%), indicating that the compost can be reused as fertilizer in agricultural applications. These results provide an improved understanding of the DEHP biodegradation via food waste composting without bioaugmentation and hence facilitating its green remediation and conversion into value-added products. Nevertheless, further studies are needed on DEHP biodegradation in large-scale food waste composting or industrial applications.

Prepared compost from food waste effectively increased onion production under sub-tropical conditions

Food waste disposal is regarded as a source of contamination in the environment. There is little information on whether food waste compost can be used in agriculture, especially in the subtropics. The study examined the effect of food waste compost on onion (Allium cepa L) cultivation under an open experimental field condition in a subtropical climate. Standard methods were used to analyze the soil physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, soil moisture, water holding capacity, total organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc) of control and treatment plots. Standard methods were used to measure all other morpho-physiological parameters. The plant height, the number of leaves per plant, the length and width of the leaves, the neck diameter, the relative water content of the leaves, the ash content of the leaves, and the root length were all measured. The treatment group had higher soil fertility than the control group. During the experiment, plant height, leaf number, leaf length, and leaf width all increased. Most morphophysio-chemical parameters in the treatment group onion plants were higher than in the control group after harvest. The yield of control plots was 13.64 t ha−1 and the yield of treatment plots was 32.04 t ha−1. Therefore, from this study it might be concluded that the compost from food waste has the potency to increase the soil fertility followed by the higher onion production. Hence, food waste can be used to prepare compost for higher onion production under sub-tropical conditions.Graphical

Effect of Chinese medicinal herbal residues compost on tomato and Chinese cabbage plants: Assessment on phytopathogenic effect and nutrients uptake

Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs) are known for their antipathogenic properties due to the presence of bioactive compounds. Hence, CMHRs could be used as a potential resource to produce biofertilizer with antipathogenic properties for agricultural applications. In this study, a novel approach was used by utilizing the waste-derived biofertilizer, i.e., CMHRs compost (CMHRC) as a nutrient supplier as well as an organic bioagent against Alternaria solani (A. solani) and Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. Chinensis) plants. The experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions using locally collected acidic soil wherein 2%, 5% and 10% CMHRC (dry weight) along with 5% food waste compost were used as treatments. In addition, only soil and soil with phytopathogens were used as control treatments. The results suggested that amending the compost into acidic soil significantly increased the pH to a neutral level along with enhanced uptake of nutrients. Among all the treatments, 5% CMHRs compost addition increased the tomato plant biomass production to 4.9 g/pot (dry weight) compared to 2.2 g/pot in control. A similar trend was observed in Chinese cabbage plants and the improved plant biomass production could be attributed to the combined effect of strong nutrient absorption ability by healthy roots and enhanced nutrient supply. At 5% CMHRC application rate, the nitrogen uptake by tomato and Chinese cabbage plants increased by 78% and 62%, respectively, whereas phosphorous uptake increased by 75% and 25%, respectively. The reduction in A. solani by 48% and F. oxysporum by 54% in the post-harvested soil of 5% CMHRC treatment against the control demonstrated the anti-phytopathogenic efficiency of CMHRC compost. Hence, the present study illustrates the beneficiary aspects of utilizing CMHRs to produce biofertilizer with anti-phytopathogenic properties which can be safely used for tomato and Chinese cabbage plant growth.

Challenges for Source Separation of Food Waste and Turning Waste into Compost for Island-Based Hotels

The practice of turning food waste into compost among hoteliers in Malaysian islands is still far behind compared to the government’s target of 8% by 2020. This paper aims to identify challenges associated with implementing sources of separation of food waste, turning waste into compost, and proposing relevant actions using island-based hotels on Langkawi Island as a case study. This study adopted the mixed-method approach. The researcher distributed sets of questionnaire surveys to 42 hoteliers, followed by observation and interviews with 23 hoteliers. This study identified the lack of space, existing facilities, expertise, funding, adequate knowledge and support from the hotel management affected the activities separation and composting of food waste at their hotel. The study also suggested five key actions for achieving sustainable food waste management for the hotel sector in Langkawi via separate and compost food waste strategies. Those actions are (1) monitor by establishing a unique team of the hotel staff; (2) cooperation with the contractor of taking waste hotel; (3) systematic waste collection with fixed schedule; (4) waste audit and waste mapping; and (5) adequate infrastructure. This study provides information and guidelines to help hoteliers reduce food waste, save hotel operation costs, and maintain the hotel’s focus on environmentally friendly practices. Keywords: Composting food waste; food waste; hotel sector; island; separating waste

The Distribution of Temperature on Aerobic Composting of Food Waste: Experimental studies and CFD analysis.

Food waste generation has a significant impact on the economy, society, and environment. Indonesia as the second-largest contributor of food waste, face this problem. Food waste generation increased for 20 years and contributed to more than 40% of solid waste in Indonesia. The government has a strategy to reduce the generation and disposal of food waste in landfills. One of the methods used is by recycling used composting. The composting method that is usually used is aerobic composting. Several factors affected the process and the rate-limiting step in oxygen concentration. This paper aims to analyze the effect of oxygen on the temperature during composting. Temperature is one of the parameters that could be used to analyze the process and determine the maturity of compost.The research in this paper utilized CFD modeling to describe the dynamic changes and spatial distribution of temperature in the aerobic composting process using mass-heat-momentum coupling based on microbial mechanisms. The equations used are based on several previous research and journals. Composting experiments were carried out with the aeration method at intervals to verify the proposed model. The microorganisms’ growth affects oxygen concentration which then affects the temperature distribution of the composting process. The simulation results show that the model accurately predicts the dynamic temperature changes and their distribution on the composting substrate. The proposed CFD model shows promising results and simulates the actual working conditions of the aerobic composting process.

Food waste humification: a process analysis

Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that roughly 1.3 billion kitchen trash are generated annually on a global scale. By using composting, we could convert our kitchen waste into a properly sanitized, humus-rich, relatively stable product that improves plant growth by conditioning soil Introduction. The main objective of this study is to conduct a review of fundamental of composting, humus, and enhanced humidification. Humus is created from degraded organic compound by the polymerization and condensation of organic components such polyphenols, reducing sugars, and amino acids. Humification can be increased through vermicomposting, the addition of biochar made from digestate, the addition of microbes to food waste compost, the addition of cow manure, multistage inoculation, solid state anaerobic digestion (SSAD), and composting hybrid processes.

Independent and combined effects of biochar and microbial agents on physicochemical parameters and microbial community succession during food waste composting

This study evaluated the independent and combined effects of biochar and microbial agents on food waste composting. The results indicated that combined addition increased the peak temperature to 63.5 °C and extended the thermophilic periods to 8 days, resulting in the highest organic matter degradation rate (12.7%). Analysis of enzymatic activity indicated that combined addition increased urease and dehydrogenase activity by 22.9% and 26.5%. Furthermore, the degradation of volatile fatty acids also increased by 37.4% with combined addition. Microbial analysis demonstrated that combined addition effectively increased the relative abundances of Enterobacter, Sphingobacterium and Aspergillus, which could be attributed to the optimal environment provided by biochar and stimulation of microbial agents. Moreover, correlation analysis showed a strong interaction between the microbial community and environment with combined addition. In general, combined addition could be beneficial for composting based on the synergistic effects of biochar and inoculation on microorganism.