Recycling Of Organic Wastes Research Articles

IMPROVEMENT OF CALCAREOUS SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND ITS PRODUCTIVITY AS AFFECTED BY FARMING METHODS AND ORGANIC MANURES APPLICATIONS

Organic manures are traditionally used for supplying plant nutrients. Their volume and other operational problems forced the farmers to use inorganic fertilizers. The recycling of organic waste is considered one of the major solutions to get rid of huge piles of wastes. The management of soil organic matter is critical to maintain a sustainable productive organic farming system. They possess many desirable soil properties and exert beneficial effect on the soil characteristics. In this regard, a field experiment was carried out on a calcareous sandy loam soil cultivated with bean (Nubaria 1) at El-Nubaria Agricultural Research Station, El- Behera Governorate during two successive winter seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013 / 2014 to investigate the effect of organic manures (rice straw compost and chicken manure) as organic amendments under farming methods (row and strew) on calcareous soilchemical properties and its productivity. Data indicated that, EC values (dSm-1) and pH values of the studied soil were decreased as a result of using rice straw compost and chicken manure under different cultivation methods. The OM content and cation exchange capacity of the soil after bean harvest were increased by the studied treatments. The high increase was attained by using rice straw compost with row farming method. Also, results showed that, the treatment with rice straw compost and row farming method resulted increase in the soil content of available N, P, K and Fe, Mn and Zn after harvest of bean. Also, there was a significant increase in N, P and K contents of bean grains with rice straw compost or chicken manure treatments compared with control. The same treatments caused an increase in the concentrations of Fe, Mn and Zn in grains. The bean plant grown under all the studied treatments gave higher yield than the control under calcareous soil conditions and the highest values of straw and grain yields were recorded by using rice straw compost with row cultivation method. As a general, it is concluded that the row cultivation method and the rice straw compost addition had beneficial effect at the different soil properties and crop yield of broad bean plants grown on calcareous soil compared with other treatments under study.

Effect of fermentation method and supplemented rockphospate at the recycling of domestic organic waste to produce organic fertilizers.

Amount of domestic solid organic waste were collected for the purpose of recycling it to produce organic fertilizers and estimate the product , organic waste mixture was prepared from separated waste which collected , mixture prepared with C: N ratio 30:1 by enriching waste with urea fertilizer. Mixture will fermented by aerobic and anaerobic methods , after being vaccinated each of them by 5% of active soil vaccine taken from the surface and soil depth, a compact plastic bottles size 25 liters used for a period of 60 days , Then completed fermentation for further 30 days after the supplemented mixtures equipped with two levels of 0% and 20% of the raw rock phosphate (RP). The most important results: the low carbon quantity and increase the concentration of nitrogen in mixtures components after the end of the fermentation stage and the highest percentage reduction of C 40% with the treatment of aerobic fermentation and supplemented RP20% with a higher content of total microbial and fixation nitrogen, solvent compounds phosphate and the highest productive amount of IAA was: 8.86 , 5.65 , 5.87 log cfu g-1 and 8.36 mg kg -1. The highest total and mineral nitrogen ratio of 28.14 and 15.02 g kg -1 with treatment aerobic fermentation and supplemented 20%RP, which also marked the lowest ratio of C: N amounted to 13.6: 1, while the treatment of anaerobic fermentation registered and non- supplemented RP highest rate of organic nitrogen 17.98 g kg -1 , and the highest rate to be Fulvic , Humic acid and phenolic acids 11.81 and 23.40 g kg -1 and 60.23 mg kg -1, respectively. Treatment of anaerobic fermentation recorded the highest concentration of phosphorus available, iron, zinc and copper extracted in DTPA ,rate amounted to 13.67 g P kg -1 , 779.3 , 66.2 , 40.6 mg kg -1, respectively. And the presence of bacteria coliform and Salmonella from mixtures disappeared after fermentation. Aearobic fermentation and supplemented 20%RP equation was also marked by the highest percentage germination of the seeds of lettuce 96.1% and get a 9 day old seedlings, up 13.31 cm and 6.76 cm roots of lettuce at a rate of wet and dry weight was 16.4 and 1.45 g -1 seedlings.

Examination of Three Different Organic Waste Biochars as Soil Amendment for Metal-Contaminated Agricultural Soils

The efficiency of biochars (BCs) derived from paper mill sludge (PM-BC), distillery sludge (DS-BC), and pruned branches from roadside trees (PB-BC) for immobilization of selected heavy metals (Cd and Zn) in agricultural soils was examined in the current study. This examination was conducted in order to elucidate whether the recycling of organic wastes could be used as a management option for metal-contaminated agricultural soils. Biochars were applied to contaminated upland soil exceeding the guideline values for Cd (4 mg kg−1) and Zn (300 mg kg−1) in Korea. Both the incubation study and the pot trial with lettuce cultivation were carried out using soil-BCs mixtures at 0, 1, 2, and 5 % (w/w). From the incubation study, it appears that BCs incorporated into the soil induces an increasing soil pH and a significant decline (Cd 36 ~ 100 %; Zn 54 ~ 100 %) in the phytoavailable metal pool examined by 1 M NH4NO3 extraction. The PM-BC was most effective in the reduction of Cd and Zn phytoavailability, due to a significantly higher pH and surface area than the DS-BC and PB-BC. Similar results were observed in the pot trial, where the uptake of heavy metals by lettuce greatly declined with PM-BC incorporation (Cd 26 ~ 71 %; Zn 28 ~ 45 %). PM-BC enhanced the lettuce growth performance evidenced by the highest yield of lettuce being observed with PM-BC-treated soils at 5 %. This was attributed to retardation of the metal toxic effect induced by a decrease in Cd accumulation, while the increased nutrient elements originated from PM-BC. This present study indicates that paper mill sludge is a great candidate for biochar production that can be utilized as a soil amendment for metal-contaminated agricultural soils.

Use of Organic Wastes in Agriculture

As the number of biogas plants and wastewater treatment plants continues to grow, there is an urgent need to find sustainable usage of the organic wastes produced in these facilities Recycling of organic wastes within agriculture can reduce the need for mineral fertilizer and restore organic carbon deficiency in the soil. The results from a 16-year long field experiment, where agricultural lands have been amended using sewage sludge and biogas residue is presented in this paper. Plant nutrients, organic contaminants and metals have been analyzed in order to evaluate the impact of the wastes on soil and crop quality. The results show that only small differences in plant uptake of metals and organic pollutants appear after 16 years. In addition, biogas residues performed well as a fertilizers, although not as well as mineral fertilizers.

Repeated soil application of organic waste amendments reduces draught force and fuel consumption for soil tillage

Soil application of organic waste products (OWP) can maintain or increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content, which in turn could lead to increased porosity and potentially to reduced energy use for soil tillage. Only a few studies have addressed the effect of SOC content on draught force for soil tillage, and this still needs to be addressed for fields that receive diverse types of organic waste of urban, agricultural and agro-industrial origin. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of changes in SOC induced by repeated soil application of OWP on draught force for soil tillage and tractor fuel consumption. Draught force was measured for tillage with conventional spring tillage tines, as well as bulk density, soil texture and SOC content in the CRUCIAL field experiment, Denmark in which diverse types of OWP had been applied annually for 11 years. The OWP included household waste compost, sewage sludge and cattle manure. The results showed that repeated waste application increased the SOC content from 1.4% SOC for the control NPK treatment to up to 3.5% SOC for the compost applied at an accelerated rate. Bulk density was also changed by OWP additions and strongly correlated with SOC. Specific draught for soil tillage was significantly explained by SOC, clay content, bulk density and soil cohesion, and could be expressed as a linear function of SOC and clay content explaining 67% of the variance. However, no evidence was found that the composition of SOC accumulated for different organic wastes influenced the specific draught. Overall, the decrease in draught force could lead to a decrease in tractor fuel consumption for soil tillage of up to 25% for compost applied at an accelerated rate and up to 14% for compost applied at a normal rate. This reduced fuel consumption could have a significant impact if taken into account in environmental assessments of organic waste recycling.

Recycling of Organic Waste through Four Different Composts for Disease Suppression and Growth Enhancement in Mung Beans

Compost is beneficial for agriculture fields in many ways such as soil conditioner, fertilizer, and natural pesticide and above all it helps to manage organic wastes and adds vital humic acids to soil. Four indigenous composts prepared from readily available organic wastes viz. vermicompost, banana, NADEP, and Calotropis were used in the present investigation for growth and disease suppression in mung beans. The composts were amended with Trichoderma viride in the concentration of 0.1 and 0.2% to determine their influence on length and weight of roots and shoots, disease incidence, soil moisture, and soil microflora in plants. The best results were observed in the treatment with T. viride (0.2%), followed by T. viride (0.1%) in vermicompost, while the treatment T. viride (0.1%) with Calotropis compost showed little growth and suppression of disease. All composts enhanced the soil moisture content and microbial populations in amended soil resulting in the reduction of disease incidence. Among T. viride enriched composts, the counts of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes were higher in the vermicompost and banana compost‐amended soils. Thus, preparing these composts from readily available organic wastes and amending soil with T. viride enriched composts hold a great promise for improving soil fertility and suppressing the soil‐borne plant pathogens for sustainable agriculture.

Pattern of multiresistant to antimicrobials and heavy metal tolerance in bacteria isolated from sewage sludge samples from a composting process at a recycling plant in southern Brazil.

The composting process is a viable alternative for the recycling of household organic waste and sewage sludge generated during wastewater treatment. However, this technique can select microorganisms resistant to antimicrobials and heavy metals as a result of excess chemicals present in compost windrow. This study evaluates the antimicrobial multiresistant and tolerance to heavy metals in bacteria isolated from the composting process with sewage sludge. Fourteen antimicrobials were used in 344 strains for the resistance profile and four heavy metals (chromium, copper, zinc, and lead) for the minimum biocide concentration assay. The strains used were from the sewage sludge sample (beginning of the process) and the compost sample (end of the process). Strains with higher antimicrobial and heavy metal profile were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed a multiresistant profile in 48 % of the strains, with the highest percentage of strains resistant to nitrofurantoin (65 %) and β-lactams (58 %). The strains isolated from the sewage sludge and the end of the composting process were more tolerant to copper, with a lethal dose of approximately 900 mg L(-1) for about 50 % of the strains. The genera that showed the highest multiresistant profile and increased tolerance to the metals tested were Pseudomonas and Ochrobactrum. The results of this study may contribute to future research and the revision and regulation of legislation on sewage sludge reuse in soils.

Characterization and Recycling of Organic Waste after Co-Composting - A Review

Co-composting produces a valuable compost material that can be used as valuable soil amendment. The process of the co-composting and control of the composting factors are the current challenges for the researchers. There are different factors that govern the quality, stability and the maturity of the co-compost in terms of amount of plant nutrients and reduction of heavy metals. Among these, C:N ratio is a parameter that can affect the loss of plant nutrients. Different studies showed wide ranges of C:N ratios (14-40) for maturity of quality compost. Temperature, aeration and types of the bulking agents also regulate the process of co-composting. Most widely used co-composted materials are animal manures with agro-wastes (sawdust, wheat straw, rice straw, corn stalks etc.). This practice brought substantial loss of heavy metals and maximum retention of plant nutrients. Higher nutrients contents of the compost and favourable soil properties as a result of co-composting of the saw dust, cow dung and egg shells have been reported. The application of co-composted dairy manure with wheat straw and sawdust produced higher plant biomass. Co-compost of cattle manure with rice straw produced an organic matter, total N and C:N ratio contents suitable for soil amendment. Therefore, this review focuses on the characteristics and utilization of organic waste after a reasonable co-composting process.

Problems of commercialization and management of «ecopyrogenesis» project in business ecologization

The main directions of the commercialization of the waste recycling projects on the example of the «Ecopyrogenesis» complex have been studied and the problems of its management have been defined. The aim of the study is to define the monitoring objects according to the areas of «Ecopyrogenesis» project implementation for the early detection of problems, development and implementation of the organizational project transformations. It is determined that the «Ecopyrogenesis» complex project is financially consuming. Its payback period is over three years which implies the need for the effective management of this project during the whole lifecycle. It is defined that the alternative fuel sales market is not developed because of the unstable production conditions which causes difficulties in predicting the future demand and supply scenarios. It is stated that a lot of the alternative energy projects are in the development stages and exist as the experimental or pilot plants, while the «Ecopyrogenesis» project offers the flexible and agreeable way to convert solid organic municipal and industrial waste into the alternative liquid fuel which can be successfully used in the heat and power production. The results of the study can be used to analyze the management functions and develop the organizational structure of the organic waste recycling (OWR) project management, as well as to organize the «Ecopyrogenesis» project quality control to improve the efficiency of its implementation. The need to conduct the further study related to the benefits of the transition to the alternative fuel is empathized.

Temporal variability in soil quality after organic residue application in mature oil palm plantations

Despite the dramatic changes in land-use arising from expansion of the palm oil industry, soil biodiversity in oil palm plantations has been little investigated. The present study aims to assess the effect of organic waste recycling (empty fruit bunches, EFB) on soil biodiversity in a mature plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. A chronosequence was delineated taking into account the time between the applications of EFB and soil sampling; intervals of 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months were compared with control plots without EFB application. Soil physical and chemical characteristics and macrofauna and nematofauna populations were analysed. The findings highlighted three distinct periods: a first disturbance period (0–6 months) showing a marked increase in pH, potassium content, base saturation and macrofauna abundance, especially ants, whereas earthworm, millipede and nematode populations were substantially reduced; a resilience period (6–18 months); and a final period (18–24 months) showing an improvement in most soil fertility parameters and a high density of earthworms, millipedes and nematodes. The impact of EFB application on soil quality changed as a function of time, and the present results explain the apparent discrepancy of some previous published results. This research is the first stage towards developing new strategies for enhancing soil biodiversity and related services for sustainable oil palm cultivation.

Assessment of Fruit and Vegetable Losses at Major Wholesale Markets in Nepal

A study regarding the losses of harvested horticultural produces in the major fruit and vegetable wholesale markets of Nepal was conducted to identify the major causes of fruits and vegetable wastage. This study aimed at generating useful information about the causes of loss of horticultural produce, types of loss and also about the possibility of reuse and recycling of such organic wastes as resource for composting and vermicomposting. Survey of the three major market centers namely; Narayangadh, Pokhara, and Kalimati fruit and vegetable wholesale market was conducted. Forty five wholesalers and 90 retailers were selected for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. From regression analysis it was concluded that lack of cold storage facility and inappropriate packaging facility had significant effect on the loss of the produce. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i4.11551 Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 2(4): 559-562

Compost in plant microbial fuel cell for bioelectricity generation

Recycling of organic waste is an important topic in developing countries as well as developed countries. Compost from organic waste has been used for soil conditioner. In this study, an experiment has been carried out to produce green energy (bioelectricity) by using paddy plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) in soil mixed with compost. A total of six buckets filled with the same soil were used with carbon fiber as the electrodes for the test. Rice plants were planted in five of the buckets, with the sixth bucket containing only soil and an external resistance of 100ohm was used for all cases. It was observed that the cells with rice plants and compost showed higher values of voltage and power density with time. The highest value of voltage showed around 700mV when a rice plant with 1% compost mixed soil was used, however it was more than 95% less in the case of no rice plant and without compost. Comparing cases with and without compost but with the same number of rice plants, cases with compost depicted higher voltage to as much as 2 times. The power density was also 3 times higher when the compost was used in the paddy PMFCs which indicated the influence of compost on bio-electricity generation.

The Organic Waste Recycling System Based on the Agro-Activities of Urban Residents

The Organic Waste Recycling System Based on the Agro-Activities of Urban Residents

THE USE OF POULTRY SLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE TO PRODUCE COMPOST

Poultry industry generates large amounts of waste, which in the biological treatment process creates a number of problems. One of them is a high amount of fat and creatine which is hard to decompose. Composting process was carried out with the waste from poultry farms and abattoirs mixed with maize straw, which was used to improve the structure and to increase the amount of carbon in the substrate. The chemical composition of composts from poultry waste involving maize straw meets the minimum requirements for organic fertilizers. It seems that recycling of organic waste from the poultry industry should be the primary method of nutrient recovery for plants and organic matter contained in them, however on condition that the health safety is preserved.

Development of Pyrolysis Technology of Organic Waste Recycling for Maritime Complex: Feeding System of Waste into the Pyrolysis Reactor

Development of Pyrolysis Technology of Organic Waste Recycling for Maritime Complex: Feeding System of Waste into the Pyrolysis Reactor

Recycling of organic wastes using locally isolated lignocellulolytic strains and sustainable technology

The magnitude and nature of the waste generated across different borders have prompted the need for an appraisal of the conventional method of waste collection and the landfill or incineration that are unsustainable due to their high cost and impact on the environment and public health. This study focuses on the recycling of organic wastes (food waste and yard trimmings) using four isolated fungal strains in an experimental setup that simulates sustainable low-technology treatment for the production compost. Separated food and yard trimmings were composted using Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Lentinus tigrinus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. in two adopted systems (open and closed) based on a solid-state bioconversion process. The results were obtained at p ≤ 0.05 after ten harvests indicating a pH range of 5.68–8.82, an organic weight loss of 11.92 % and a carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio range of 16.99–18.20 for the open system of the compost. The closed system indicated a relatively lower value of C/N ratio, which is 8.60–13.38 and an organic weight loss of 8.92 % at a pH range of 5.68–7.30. The germination index, ranging between 53–105 and 49–122 %, and the electrical conductivity ranging between 2.57–3.17 and 2.72–2.95 mS/dm for the open and closed systems, respectively, were used to evaluate the toxicity and stability of the compost produced. The technology adopted in this study indicates the viability of the process of the large-scale production of biofertilizer with the C/N ratio of 100 % at harvest.

Thermal treatment for pathogen inactivation as a risk mitigation strategy for safe recycling of organic waste in agriculture

Thermal treatment at temperatures between 46.0°C and 55.0°C was evaluated as a method for sanitization of organic waste, a temperature interval less commonly investigated but important in connection with biological treatment processes. Samples of dairy cow feces inoculated with Salmonella Senftenberg W775, Enterococcus faecalis, bacteriophage ϕX174, and porcine parvovirus (PPV) were thermally treated using block thermostats at set temperatures in order to determine time-temperature regimes to achieve sufficient bacterial and viral reduction, and to model the inactivation rate. Pasteurization at 70°C in saline solution was used as a comparison in terms of bacterial and viral reduction and was proven to be effective in rapidly reducing all organisms with the exception of PPV (decimal reduction time of 1.2 h). The results presented here can be used to construct time-temperature regimes in terms of bacterial inactivation, with D-values ranging from 0.37 h at 55°C to 22.5 h at 46.0°C and 0.45 h at 55.0°C to 14.5 h at 47.5°C for Salmonella Senftenberg W775 and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively and for relevant enteric viruses based on the ϕX174 phage with decimal reduction times ranging from 1.5 h at 55°C to 16.5 h at 46°C. Hence, the study implies that considerably lower treatment temperatures than 70°C can be used to reach a sufficient inactivation of bacterial pathogens and potential process indicator organisms such as the ϕX174 phage and raises the question whether PPV is a valuable process indicator organism considering its extreme thermotolerance.

Simultaneous Loss of Soil Biodiversity and Functions along a Copper Contamination Gradient: When Soil Goes to Sleep

The impact of biodiversity loss on soil functions is well established via laboratory experiments that generally consider soil biota groups in isolation from each other, a condition rarely present in field soils. As a result, our knowledge about anthropogenic-induced changes in biodiversity and associated soil functions is limited. We quantified an array of soil biological constituents (plants, earthworms, nematodes, bacteria, and fungi) to explore their interactions and to characterize their influence on various soil functions (habitat for soil organisms, air and water regulation, and recycling of nutrients and organic waste) along a legacy Cu pollution gradient. Increasing Cu concentrations had a detrimental impact on both plant growth and species richness. Belowground soil biota showed similar responses, with their sensitivity to elevated Cu concentrations decreasing in the order: earthworms > bacteria > nematodes > fungi. The observed loss of soil biota adversely affected natural soil bioturbation, aggregate formation and stabilization, and decomposition and mineralization processes and therefore resulted in compacted soil with narrow pore size distributions and overall smaller pores, restricted air and water storage and flow, and impeded C, N, and P cycling. The simultaneous evolution of soil biodiversity and functions along the Cu gradient emphasized the key role of soil life in controlling ecosystem services. Furthermore, results indicated that different soil biodiversity and functional indicators started to decline (10% loss) within a Cu concentration range of 110 to 800 mg total Cu kg−1.

Recycling of Solid Organic Wastes Through Vermicomposting: Microbial Community Changes Throughout the Process and Use of Vermicompost as a Soil Amendment

Vermicomposting (i.e., the processing of organic waste by earthworms) is a low-cost rapid technique for transforming large amounts of waste into a safe and valuable product called vermicompost. The effects that earthworms have on microorganisms largely determine the rate of decomposition of organic matter during the process and, in turn, the quality of the final product. Recent studies highlight the importance of the earthworm gut as a major shaper of microbial communities. Passage of the material through the earthworm gut favors the existence of a reduced but more active microbial population in the egested material. The addition of these microbial communities to fresh organic matter has been shown to modify the level of activity and the functional diversity of microbial populations in vermicomposting systems. A review of the main changes observed in the structure and activity of microbial communities during vermicomposting is discussed, to provide further insight into the role of vermicompost as a soil amendment. The mechanisms involved and the factors that determine the suppression of pests are also addressed in this review article.

Mineralization dynamics of different commercial organic fertilizers from agro-industry organic waste recycling: an incubation experiment

The mineralization process of different commercial organic fertilizers was investigated in controlled laboratory conditions. The soil was mixed with the following organic fertilizers: Emos CAP<sup>®</sup>, Organ CAP<sup>®</sup>, Sic Stal<sup>®</sup> and urea (as a control) at the rate of 300 mg N/kg dry soil. Emos CAP<sup>®</sup> is made of cattle and poultry manure, meat, bone meal and dried blood, Organ CAP<sup>®</sup> is a product made of leather and skins, while Sic Stal<sup>®</sup> contains cow and horse manure. During the incubation the concentration of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N, NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N, microbial biomass and carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions were determined. All fertilizers showed a peak of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N after 7 days from the beginning of the test. The decomposition of Sic Stal<sup>®</sup> caused a rapid rise of CO<sub>2</sub> production associated to the growth of microbial biomass while Emos CAP<sup>®</sup> promoted a release of N<sub>2</sub>O in the first 16 days. In conclusion, all the commercial organic fertilizers tested can be considered fertilizers with a fast release of N, among them Emos CAP<sup>®</sup> and Sic Stal<sup>®</sup> allow a rapid N supply to plants while Organ CAP<sup>®</sup> could be used when the N request of plants is not immediate.