Manure Waste Research Articles

Circular economy-based integrated closed-loop farming system: A sensitivity analysis for profit optimization

This study proposes and constructs a model for a closed-loop farming system (CLFS) for pig manure waste reuse under circular economy principles (CEPs) to optimize economic benefits. Pig farming produces waste that harms the ecological environment in Taiwan. However, few studies have focused on pig farming waste within the context of CEPs, where the resource utilization of pig manure waste and CLFS are the main concerns. This study introduces a CLFS with a farming production plan that enhances systematic efficiency and builds a framework for resource reuse, supporting a local living circle. The resource utilization of pig manure waste is integrated into the CLFS, ensuring that the entire pig raising production process operates within the system, maximizing waste utilization to increase economic benefits. A sensitivity analysis is also presented. The results confirm that all counties and municipalities in Taiwan achieved self-sufficiency in pork production, reaching a 100% satisfaction rate for pork demand, and feed prices did not impact the overall CLFS.

Optimization of Manure-Based Substrate Preparation to Reduce Nutrients Losses and Improve Quality for Growth of Agaricus bisporus

With the growing world population, food demand has also increased, resulting in increased agricultural waste and livestock manure production. Wheat straw and cow dung are rich nutrient sources and, if not utilized properly, may lead to environmental pollution. Keeping in view the cultivation of Agaricus bisporus on straw/manure-based substrate, the current study aimed to optimize the conventional manure preparation technique to reduce nutrient losses and keep the quality of manure at its best. The treatments were considered as traditional and optimized schemes for mushroom substrate preparation. The results achieved herein indicated that the nutrient losses were low in the optimum scheme. For carbon (C), the loss was 43.55% at the substrate stage in the traditional scheme and reduced to 37.75% in the optimum scheme. In the case of nitrogen (N), the loss was 22.01% in the traditional scheme and was lower (18.49%) in the optimum scheme. The nutrient concentration in Agaricus bisporus was higher with the optimum scheme compared with the traditional scheme. It was 1.74% for C, 7.17% for N, 3.58% for phosphorus (P), and 4.92% for potassium (K). The optimum scheme also improved the Agaricus bisporus yield per unit area (84.55%) and the total yield (28.92%). The net income of the optimum scheme was 102.95% higher compared to the traditional scheme. The economic analysis also revealed that the benefit–cost ratio of the optimum scheme was high (48.86%) compared with the traditional scheme. This study concludes that the use of the optimum scheme can better utilize the wheat straw and cow manure waste for substrate preparation and reducing nutrient losses. In addition, the final mushroom residue can also be used as a leftover substrate for further utilization.

Reducing moisture content can promote the removal of pathogenic bacteria and viruses from sheep manure compost on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Livestock manure contains a high concentration of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms. The effective elimination of these pathogens is of great significance to the harmless and resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure. Building upon prior research, this study further explored the removal efficiency of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in sheep manure compost on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under 45 % (M45) and 60 % (M60) moisture content. The results showed that M45 led to a significant increase in the average composting temperature (P＜0.05), a notable reduction in the levels of Salmonella and Coliforms in the compost products, and facilitated the decline in abundance of various pathogens. As composting progressed, the abundance of viruses declined rapidly. Uroviricota was the most dominant viral phylum, and Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, Herpesviridae, and Podoviridae as the predominant viral families. M45 can significantly reduce the diversity and abundance of compost virus community (P＜0.05). The correlation analysis indicated a negative relationship between pathogens and the average temperature and humus content of the compost. In summary, the reduction of moisture content can enhance the biosafety of sheep manure compost products on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. These findings provide theoretical basis and technical support for the harmless and resource utilization of sheep manure waste on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The Effects of Different Combinations of Cattle Organic Soil Amendments and Copper on Lettuce (cv. Rufus) Plant Growth

In modern agricultural production, cattle manure waste recovery is considered as a sustainable approach to agricultural waste management, reducing environmental pollution and chemical fertilizer use. This study aimed to investigate the effects of manure and digestate derived from a pilot-scale livestock waste-recycling system, in combination with a low copper concentration as a fungicide, on the physiological response of lettuce cv Rufus (Lactuca sativa L.) plants and the associated soil microbiome. A five-week microcosm experiment was conducted in a greenhouse under environmental conditions. Lettuce plant performance was assessed in terms of biomass, leaf area index, photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll measurements, lipid peroxidation, total phenolic content, and nutrient uptake. The results suggested that incorporating digestate into the potting soil mix significantly enhanced crop yields compared to the control and manure treatments. The soil microbial activity increased in the presence of fertilizers, improving the soil chemical and biological properties. The addition of copper negatively affected the growth and physiological performance of the lettuce plants under both the control and manure-treated conditions, except for those grown in the presence of digestate, where copper accumulation was reduced. These findings highlight the potential of growing horticultural crops using organic fertilization through livestock waste anaerobic digestate, establishing a waste-to-food recycling system.

Influence of Municipal Solid Waste Manure with Different Levels of Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Health Parameters, Growth, and Yield Attributes of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) In Sub-humid Climate Condition in Prayagraj, (U.P.) India

Influence of Municipal Solid Waste Manure with Different Levels of Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Health Parameters, Growth, and Yield Attributes of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) In Sub-humid Climate Condition in Prayagraj, (U.P.) India

Chemical Characteristics of Chicken Litter Waste in Closed-House System

Waste from the broiler and layer farming industry with a closed-house system continues to increase without optimizing waste utilization and harms the environment. Potential chicken litter waste from the chicken farming industry in West Sumatra is 5 tons per harvest (40 days) from a chicken livestock capacity of 100,000 chickens. This research aims to assess the potential and utilization and study the biochemistry of chicken manure waste in closed-house systems as biosorbents and fertilizers through amelioration technology. Closed-house chicken coop bedding waste (CHCCW) in the form of sawdust has functional groups such as carboxyl that can absorb cations because it can increase the negative charge in the soil so that it can be utilized by plants. In addition, the CHCCW can also absorb cations (pollutants). Chemical characteristics from the analysis results prove the ability of the CHCCW. Chicken litter waste has chemical characteristics that have the potential as a biosorbent and are valid as fertilizer, which has a proximate composition (moisture 4.26%; volatile matter 74.20%; ash 6.78% and fixed carbon 14.76%); pH (pH H2O 8.37 and pH PZC 7.37); electrical conductivity (EC) >2 dS m-1 and cation exchange capacity (CEC) 182.67 Cmol(+)kg-1. The nutrient composition of chicken manure waste in closed-house systems has macro nutrients (6.88% C; 0.06% N; 5.89% P; 34.89% K; 36.28% Ca; 5.76% S) and micronutrients (2.49% Fe; 1.39% Mn; 1.22% Zn; 1.01% Cu; and 5.15% Cl). Chicken manure waste in closed-house systems also has functional groups such as O-H, N-H, C-H, C-OH, C=C, C=O, C-O-C, Si-O, and O-CH3, which play an active role in the absorption of pollutants and nutrients in the soil.

Influence of City Waste Manure and Different Levels of Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Health Parameter, Growth and Yield Attributes of Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.) in Inceptisols

Influence of City Waste Manure and Different Levels of Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Health Parameter, Growth and Yield Attributes of Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.) in Inceptisols

Utilizing Cow Manure Waste (Bos Taurus) as Organic Fertilizer in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi

This community service activity has been conducted in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, in collaboration with the local farming community. They face challenges regarding how to utilize cattle manure waste as environmentally friendly organic fertilizer. The objective of this community service is: 1) To provide knowledge to the farming community in Labuan Lelea Village on how to utilize cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer, as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers, which are known for their chemical content, scarcity, and fluctuating prices annually; 2) To promote organic fertilizers as an environmentally friendly alternative to inorganic fertilizers in agricultural lands; 3) To enhance the knowledge of farming communities regarding the effective utilization of cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer for both food crops and horticultural plants. The method employed in this activity is a participatory approach, wherein a team including Community and Student Service Learning Program (KKN) participants and local community members actively collaborate in fostering good cooperation between extension workers and farmers. The primary target audience of this training is farming communities engaged in plantation, food crops, and horticultural cultivation. The outcomes of this community service activity include increased awareness of how to utilize cattle manure waste (Bos Taurus). This process requires minimal investment as cattle waste, sawdust, and rice husks are all freely available materials, thus serving as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers which contain chemical substances and are environmentally unfriendly.

Enhancement of microbial community dynamics and metabolism in compost through ammonifying cultures inoculation

The efficient use of livestock and poultry manure waste has become a global challenge, with microorganisms playing an important role. To investigate the impact of novel ammonifying microorganism cultures (NAMC) on microbial community dynamics and carbon and nitrogen metabolism, five treatments [5% (v/w) sterilized distilled water, Amm-1, Amm-2, Amm-3, and Amm-4] were applied to cow manure compost. Inoculation with NAMC improved the structure of bacterial and fungal communities, enriched the populations of the functional microorganisms, enhanced the role of specific microorganisms, and promoted the formation of tight modularity within the microbial network. Further functional predictions indicated a significant increase in both carbon metabolism (CMB) and nitrogen metabolism (NMB). During the thermophilic phase, inoculated NAMC treatments boosted carbon metabolism annotation by 10.55%–33.87% and nitrogen metabolism annotation by 26.69%–63.11. Structural equation modeling supported the NAMC-mediated enhancement of NMB and CMB. In conclusion, NAMC inoculation, particularly with Amm-4, enhanced the synergistic interaction between bacteria and fungi. This collaboration promoted enzymatic catabolic and synthetic processes, resultng in positive feedback loops with the endogenous microbial community. Understanding these mechanisms not only unravels how ammonifying microorganisms influence microbial communities but also paves the way for the development of the composting industry and global waste management practices.

Insights into PVC-promoted hydrothermal carbonization of manure: Dechlorination, inorganic metals removal, and combustion behaviors

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) can serve as a promising route to effectively co-valorize biomass and plastic wastes for solid fuel production. However, manure-derived hydrochar for fuel application remains a significant challenge due to its high ash content and low energy density. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as a chlorine-containing plastic, subjected to HTC commonly results in the generation of massive acidic wastewater. Herein, we proposed a PVC-promoted HTC route for high energy–density hydrochar production. By utilizing PVC as an in situ acidic additive, the HTC condition was optimized at 275 °C, 30 min, with a PVC addition of 10 %. The hydrochar obtained under the optimized condition exhibited a higher heating value (HHV) of 25.89 MJ/kg, comparable to bituminous coals, and achieve a high energy recovery rate of nearly 70 %. Moreover, the excellent removal efficiencies of inorganic metals and chlorine both exceeding 95 % (except for Fe at 86 %) were observed, owing to the strong interactions between dechlorination and inorganic metals removal. Importantly, it was evidenced that acidic reaction environment was demonstrated to enhance the carbonization degree and modify the hydrochar formation mechanism. Furthermore, the high comprehensive combustion index S of 3.22 × 10−7 %2/( °C3·min2) and low average Ea of 134.20 kJ/mol were achieved, indicating the favorable combustion behaviors. Overall, this work systematically and comprehensively investigated the PVC-promoted HTC of manure waste for advanced solid fuel production and examined its combustion characteristics, unveiling the hydrochar formation mechanism.

Production of cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs by handmade cloning

With the rapid development of intensive animal husbandry in the livestock industry, large quantities of manure waste containing phytate phosphorus are being generated. Phytase can effectively solve the problem of high phosphorus pollution in the feces of monogastric animals. Enviropig, which produces phytase in the salivary glands and secretes the enzyme in the saliva, were first generated in 1999. However, phytase is easily inactivated during digestion. To address this problem, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were generated using handmade cloning in this study. Transgene construction was improved and three cell lines carrying Cafp were obtained. In total, 810 blastocysts were generated and 712 good-quality were transferred into six recipients. Fourteen piglets were born, of which six survived after weaning. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing results showed that seven (three live and four dead) of the fourteen piglets carried Cafp. Phytase activity in the saliva of the six live cloned pigs was tested at four months of age, and only one pig had 0.155 FTU/mL enzyme activity. The other five pigs may not have been activated in the transgenic parotid gland. Among all the transgenic pigs, the highest phosphorus digestion rate was 59.2% of intake, representing a 25.4% decrease in fecal emission compared to the average of controls. Immunohistochemical results on the three Cafp-positive pigs that died after six months of age showed that the transgene was only expressed in parotid glands, confirming tissue-specific gene expression. In conclusion, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were successfully produced through handmade cloning. The cloned pigs offer a unique biological approach to managing phosphorus nutrition and environmental pollution in animal husbandry.

Teachers' Perception toward Electronic Student Worksheet Based on Hand Washing Waste Treatment Projects to Improve Students' Creative Thinking Skills

Creative thinking skills are very important in the 21st century. This research aims to determine the perceptions of Natural Science teachers towards electronic student worksheets based on chicken manure waste processing projects to improve students' creative thinking abilities. This research uses mixed methods with a sequential explanatory design. Data was collected through questionnaires, then descriptive analysis was carried out. Questionnaires were distributed to 18 natural science teacher respondents and 115 junior high school students in Lampung Province. The research results show that 83% of teachers have not used project-based e-worksheets; 79% of teacher respondents have implemented Project Based Learning; while only 56% of teachers have not carried out creative thinking ability tests. Based on student response questionnaires, 82% of teachers have given project assignments, but these projects are not based on real problems in the environment. The survey results show that 86% of teacher respondents already know about creative thinking skills, but the indicators of creative thinking skills that teachers understand are different from the indicators of creative thinking skills that should be measured. Based on the research results, it can be concluded that e-worksheets based on chicken waste processing projects are needed to improve students' creative thinking abilities

Harnessing cattle manure waste for organic fertilizer production in Kampung Sanggaria Arso 1, Keerom Regency

Kampung Sanggaria, situated in West Arso District, Keerom Regency, Papua Province, is a village that produces an abundance of cattle manure waste. Traditionally, this waste has been left untreated, posing a potential threat to environmental pollution. To address this issue, a Community Service (PKM) initiative was implemented to guide the community in utilizing cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer. The methodology employed involved socialization, training, and mentorship. The PKM initiative successfully produced packaged organic fertilizer ready for use and market distribution. As a result of this initiative, the community has gained a deeper understanding of processing cattle manure waste into organic fertilizer, which can be utilized for agricultural purposes in Kampung Sanggaria. Moreover, in the long run, this initiative is expected to contribute to the overall well-being and prosperity of the community.

Catalytic fast pyrolysis over heavy metals-containing livestock manure biochar catalyst for polystyrene upcycling

The perpetual market demand for polystyrene results in the gradual accumulation of polystyrene waste, placing a serious burden on the environment. This study proposed a promising method to upcycle polystyrene for styrene-derived monomers through catalytic fast pyrolysis. The metals-incorporated biochar catalysts were synthesized from heavy metals-contaminated manure waste for catalytic fast pyrolysis of polystyrene. The experimental results showed that the bimetallic biochar-derived catalyst containing Zn and Cr (Zn-Cr/C) was more conducive to the liquid production, with an extremely high yield of 88.22 wt%. Monometallic Pb-incorporated biochar catalyst (Pb/C) and bimetallic Zn-Cu co-doped on biochar (Zn-Cu/C) were more favorable for the production of pure styrene, with the mass yield of 61.26 wt% and 60.39 wt%, respectively. Additionally, the study elucidated a deep understanding of the reaction mechanisms involved in the catalytic fast pyrolysis of polystyrene. Simply put, this study introduced a new concept to convert heavy metal-contaminated animal manure into metal-incorporated biochar catalysts for catalytic conversion of polystyrene waste in pure styrene-based monomers.

Waste biomass-derived biochar in adsorption-photocatalytic conversion of CO2 for sustainable energy and environment: Evaluation, mechanism, and life cycle assessment

Biochar is an environmentally friendly material with great potential for carbon capture and storage. As the first of its kind, waste biomass-derived biochar was utilized to convert CO2 into fuel in solar. Herein, among four representatives herbaceous, woody, sludge, and manure wastes, the pine sawdust-derived biochar produced the highest CO assisted by higher CO2 adsorption, more than 10 times higher than that of graphene and activated carbon. The function groups of carbonyl and carboxyl on biochar controlled the CO2 capture and solar conversion by decreasing adsorption and activation energies of CO2 molecules. The biochar performed even better for 15% CO2/N2 atmosphere, a typical CO2 concentration in the flue gas, demonstrating its promising potential in waste gas resource utilization. The life-cycle assessment indicates that feedstock with more cellulose and lignin provide better environmental and economic benefits. The work highlights a sustainability pathway for waste biomass-derived biochar in CO2-to-fuel under ambient conditions.

Effects of Hydrothermal Pretreatment and Anaerobic Digestion of Pig Manure on the Antibiotic Removal and Methane Production.

Whether advanced biological waste treatment technologies, such as hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) integrated anaerobic digestion (AD), could enhance the removal of different antibiotics remains unclear. This study investigated the outcome of antibiotics and methane productivity during pig manure treatment via HTP, AD, and HTP + AD. Results showed improved removal efficiency of sulfadiazine (SDZ), oxytetracycline (OTC), and enrofloxacin (ENR) with increased HTP temperatures (70, 90, 120, 150, and 170°C). OTC achieved the highest removal efficiency of 86.8% at 170°C because of its high sensitivity to heat treatment. For AD, SDZ exhibited resistance with a removal efficiency of 52.8%. However, OTC and ENR could be removed completely within 30days. When HTP was used prior to AD, OTC and ENR could achieve complete removal. However, residual SDZ levels reduced to 20% and 16% at 150 and 170°C, respectively. The methanogenic potential showed an overall upward trend as the HTP temperature increased. Microbial analysis revealed the antibiotics-induced enrichment of specific microorganisms during AD. Firmicutes were the dominant bacterial phylum, with their abundance positively correlated with the addition of antibiotics. Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina emerged as the dominant archaea that drove methane production during AD. Thus, HTP can be a potential pretreatment before AD to reduce antibiotic-related risks in manure waste handling.

Varied Pyrolysis Behaviors of Typical Forestry, Kitchen, and Manure Wastes in CO2

Varied Pyrolysis Behaviors of Typical Forestry, Kitchen, and Manure Wastes in CO₂

Dynamics of microbial functional guilds involved in the humification process during aerobic composting of chicken manure on an industrial scale.

Proper composting treatment of poultry manure waste is recommended before its use as a fertilizer. This involves many bioprocesses driven by microorganisms. Therefore, it is important to understand microbial mechanisms behind these bioprocesses in manure composting systems. Many efforts have been made to study the microbial community structure and diversity in these systems using high-throughput sequencing techniques. However, the dynamics of microbial interaction and functionality, especially for key microbial functional guilds, are not yet fully understood. To address these knowledge gaps, we collected samples from a 150-day industrial chicken manure composting system and performed the microbial network analysis based on the sequencing data. We found that the family Bacillaceae and genus Bacillus might play important roles in organic matter biodegradation at the mesophilic/thermophilic phases. Genera Virgibacillus, Gracilibacillus, Nocardiopsis, Novibacillus, and Bacillaceae_BM62 were identified as the key ones for humic acid synthesis at the mature phases. These findings improve our understanding about the fundamental mechanisms behind manure composting and can aid the development of microbial agents to promote manure composting performance.

Manufacturing Non Adhesive Biobriquettes With Main Ingredients From Cow Manure Waste at Dairy Cows Teaching Factory

Biobriquettes are solid energy source that comes from biomass that is compressed under a certain pressure. The development of non-adhesive biobriquettes has not been widely carried out. Teaching factory (TEFA) Dairy Cows Politeknik Negeri Jember have 51 cows and products ± 18-20 kg/day of cow manure which have not managed optimally. On the other side of district Jember produces 1,945 tons of coconut shell waste per year which is pill up, thrown away and used as stove fiel or simply burned. This research was conducted with an experimental method using composition variations of raws material and mixed material to obtain the best mixture ratio for biobriquettes, 4KS6AR (40% : 60%), 5KS5AR (50% : 50%), 6KS4AR (60% : 40%). The raw material for cow dung is cleaned from grass fibers. The coconut shells raw material that has been dried in the sun, then pyrolyzed at a temperature of approximately 200-250ºC for 6-7 hours, then ground to size of 40, 60 and 100 mesh. From the tests that have been carried out, the most optimal value to quality standards of National Standard of Indonesia (SNI) 01-6235-2000 is with a water content of 2,382 %, calorific value of 6.650 cal/g.

The nitrogen footprint of Ukraine: why personal consumption matters

Unintended reactive nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture, energy and transportation pose significant environmental hazards, including eutrophication, acidification, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss, human health risks and climate change. The concept of a nitrogen footprint (NF) emerges as a pivotal metric, reflecting potential N losses in the entire production-consumption chain of goods and services used by an individual within a defined timeframe.In a pioneering assessment of per capita NF in Ukraine, key factors, such as the food production chain, consumption patterns, connection to wastewater treatment (WWT) system and the efficacy of WWT facilities, were identified as critical components. Addressing specific challenges, such as data availability, soil N depletion and manure waste, was found to be particularly complex. The apparent high nitrogen use efficiency in Ukrainian cropping systems was highlighted to be actually reflected in the elevated N mineralization rate in Ukrainian soils characterized by high organic matter content. The individual Ukraine NF (22.1 kg N cap−1 yr−1 as of 2017) was found to be much lower than that of the US and Australia being comparable to Western European countries. Even so, significant opportunities for reduction remain through a wide range of options towards healthier and more sustainable dietary choices. Potential reductions, ranging from 22% to 69%, were shown for omnivore, reduced red meat, no red meat, half meat products, vegetarian and vegan diets. In the absence of proper manure management in Ukraine, even greater reductions of an ‘actual’ NF can be achieved if wasted N manure is considered.The war’s impact is assumed to result in a slight increase or no changes in individual food consumption NFs and an increase in food production NFs for local products, while reductions in individual transport and energy NFs were likely across Ukraine. Nonetheless, refugees massively displaced to less affected regions overload a largely outdated civilian infrastructure, leading to higher N losses.Looking ahead, sustained support, capital investments, legislative enhancements and regulatory frameworks, especially upon post-war renovation of Ukraine, are imperative for reducing the individual NF. This involves enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture, establishing efficient manure management, upgrading WWT facilities, promoting renewable energy adoption, bolstering requisite infrastructure and raising public awareness on environmental sustainability.