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Municipal solid waste compost amendment in agricultural soil: changes in soil microbial biomass

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Abstract

Agricultural application of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), as nutrient source for plants and as soil conditioner, is the most cost-effective option of MSW management because of its advantages over traditional means such as landfilling or incineration. However, agricultural application of MSW can lead to a potential environmental threat due to the presence of pathogens and toxic pollutants. Composting is an attractive alternative of MSW recycling. Application of MSW compost (MSWC) in agricultural soils can directly alter soil physico-chemical properties as well as promote plant growth. The soil microbial biomass, considered as the living part of soil organic matter, is very closely related to the soil organic matter content in many arable agricultural soils. Numerous studies, with different MSWC amendment doses on different soil types and under different water regimes revealed no detrimental effect on soil microbial biomass. In this review, we show the state of art about the effects of MSWC amendment on soil microbial biomass.

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Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico” (CNPq-Brazil) and “Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Piauí” (FAPEPI) for financial support, and the research of the “Soil Microbial Ecology in Mid-North Region” group (UFPI-CNPq). Ademir S.F. Araújo and Wanderley J. Melo are supported by personal fellowships from CNPq-Brazil. Mr Rajeev Pratap Singh is thankful to Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia for offering Post Doctoral Fellowship and giving opportunity in esteemed organization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Science Center, Soil Quality Lab, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil

    Ademir Sérgio Ferreira de Araújo

  2. Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences, FCAV, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Wanderley José de Melo

  3. School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang, Malaysia

    Rajeev Pratap Singh

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  1. Ademir Sérgio Ferreira de Araújo
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  2. Wanderley José de Melo
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  3. Rajeev Pratap Singh
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Correspondence to Ademir Sérgio Ferreira de Araújo.

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de Araújo, A.S.F., de Melo, W.J. & Singh, R.P. Municipal solid waste compost amendment in agricultural soil: changes in soil microbial biomass. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 9, 41–49 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-009-9179-6

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