Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Co-composting of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Landscaping Waste: A Pilot Scale Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Compost with nutrient-rich organic matter can be produced from renewable biomass materials such as municipal sewage sludge, landscaping waste and others. In this study, co-composting of municipal sewage sludge and landscaping waste as a soil amendment using 10 m3 pilot scale bioreactor system was tested. The temperature, oxygen level, moisture content and pH were monitored throughout the composting process. Proximate and ultimate analyses of the compost were determined for nutrient availability. The matured compost produced has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of 3.01, 0.27 and 0.68 %, respectively, which made it suitable for the growth of ornamental plants. The Solvita® compost maturity kit gave an index result of 7, which indicated that the product was matured. Pathogenicity test of the compost confirmed that coliforms and Escherichia coli were eliminated within 15 days of composting at the thermophilic stage, making the compost safe to be used in the natural environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kabbashi, A.N., Alam, M.Z., Othan, A.B.: Biocomposting process for utilization agro-industrial wastes. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Natural Resources Engineering and Technology 2006, Putrajaya, Malaysia, pp. 176–181 (2006)

  2. Golueke, C.G.: Composting: A Study of the Process and Its Principles. Rodale Press Inc., Pennsylvania (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Liang, C., Das, K.C., McClendon, R.W.: The influence of temperature and moisture contents regimes on the aerobic microbial activity of a biosolids composting blend. Bioresour. Technol. 86, 131–137 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Indah Water Konsortium Sdn. Bhd.: Collaborative Research with University Putra of Malaysia. https://www.iwk.com.my/do-you-know/upm

  5. Barrena Gómez, R., Vázquez Lima, F., Gordillo Bolasell, M.A., Gea, T., Sánchez Ferrer, A.: Respirometric assays at fixed and process temperatures to monitor composting process. Bioresour. Technol. 96, 1153–1159 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mininni, G., Blanch, A.R., Lucena, F., Berselli, S.: EU policy on sewage sludge utilization and perspectives on new approaches of sludge management. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 22, 7361–7374 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Saheri, S., Mir, M.A., Ahmad Basri, N.E., Begum, R.A., Mahmood, N.Z.B.: Solid waste management by considering composting potential in Malaysia toward a green country. e-BANGI J. Soc. Sci. Humanit. 4, 48–55 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rodríguez, L., Cerrillo, M.I., García-Albiach, V., Villaseñor, J.: Domestic sewage sludge composting in a rotary drum reactor: optimizing the thermophilic stage. J. Environ. Manag. 112, 284–291 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Banegas, V., Moreno, J.L., Moreno, J.I., García, C., León, G., Hernández, T.: Composting anaerobic and aerobic sewage sludges using two proportions of sawdust. Waste Manag 27, 1317–1327 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cekmecelioglu, D., Demirci, A., Graves, R.E., Davitt, N.H.: Applicability of optimised in-vessel food waste composting for windrow systems. Biosyst. Eng. 91, 479–486 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Bhatia, A., Ali, M., Sahoo, J., Madan, S., Pathania, R., Ahmed, N., Kazmi, A.A.: Microbial diversity during rotary drum and windrow pile composting. J. Basic Microbiol. 52, 5–15 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. García, C., Hernández, T., Costa, F., Ceccanti, B., Masciandaro, G., Calcinai, M.: Evaluation of the organic matter composition of raw and composted municipal wastes. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 39, 99–108 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lu, Y., Wu, X., Guo, J.: Characteristics of municipal solid waste and sewage sludge co-composting. Waste Manag 29, 1152–1157 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Bazrafshan, E., Zazouli, M.A., Bazrafshan, J., Bandpei, A.M.: Evaluation of microbiological and chemical parameters during wastewater sludge and sawdust co-composting. J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manag. 10, 115–119 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wong, J.W.C., Selvam, A.: Speciation of heavy metals during co-composting of sewage sludge with lime. Chemosphere 63, 980–986 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Villaseñor, J., Rodríguez, L., Fernández, F.J.: Composting domestic sewage sludge with natural zeolites in a rotary drum reactor. Bioresour. Technol. 102, 1447–1454 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wan Razali, W.A., Baharuddin, A.S., Talib, A.T., Sulaiman, A., Naim, M.N., Hassan, M.A., Shirai, Y.: Degradation of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) fibre during composting process using in-vessel composter. BioResources 7, 4786–4805 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhu, N.: Effect of low initial C/N ratio on aerobic composting of swine manure with rice straw. Bioresour. Technol. 98, 9–13 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Cundiff, J.S., Mankin, K.R. (eds.): Modeling the composting process. In: Dynamics of Biological Systems, pp. 4.1–4.64. American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE), Michigan (2003)

  20. Ahmad, M.N., Mokhtar, M.N., Baharuddin, A.S., Hock, L.S., Ali, S.R.A., Abd-Aziz, S., Abdul Rahman, N.A., Hassan, M.A.: Changes in physicochemical and microbial community during co-composting of oil palm frond with palm oil mill effluent anaerobic sludge. BioResources 6, 4762–4780 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hock, L.S., Baharuddin, A.S., Ahmad, M.N., Shah, U.K.M., Abdul Rahman, N.A., Abd-Aziz, S., Hassan, M.A., Shirai, Y.: Physicochemical changes in windrow co-composting process of oil palm mesocarp fiber and palm oil mill effluent anaerobic sludge. Aust. J. Basic Appl. Sci. 3, 2809–2816 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  22. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Microbiological Methods & Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM). http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/LaboratoryMethods/ucm114664.htm

  23. Belyaeva, O.N., Haynes, R.J., Sturm, E.C.: Chemical, physical and microbial properties and microbial diversity in manufactured soils produced from co-composting green waste and biosolids. Waste Manag 32, 2248–2257 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA): Part 503—Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, United States of America (1993)

  25. Fourti, O., Jedidi, N., Hassen, A.: Behaviour of main microbiological parameters and of enteric microorganisms during the composting of municipal solid wastes and sewage sludge in a semi-industrial composting plant. Am. J. Environ. Sci. 4, 103–110 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Makan, A., Assobhei, O., Mountadar, M.: Effect of initial moisture content on the in-vessel composting under air pressure of organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco. Iran. J. Environ. Health Sci. Eng. 10, 3 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. de Bertoldi, M., Vallini, G., Pera, A.: The biology of composting: a review. Waste Manag. Res. 1, 157–176 (1983)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tiquia, S.M., Tam, N.F.Y., Hodgkiss, I.J.: Microbial activities during composting of spent pig-manure sawdust litter at different moisture contents. Bioresour. Technol. 55, 201–206 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Diaz, L.F., Savage, G.M.: Factors that affect the process. In: Diaz, L.F., de Bertoldi, M., Bidlingmaier, W., Stentiford, E. (eds.) Compost Science and Technology, pp. 49–65. Elsevier, Amsterdam (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. Khalil, A.I., Hassouna, M.S., El-Ashqar, H.M.A., Fawzi, M.: Changes in physical, chemical and microbial parameters during the composting of municipal sewage sludge. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 27, 2359–2369 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Zucconi, F.D., De Bertoldi, M.: Compost specifications for the production and characterization of compost from municipal solid waste. In: de Bertoldi, M., Ferranti, M.P., Hermite, P.L., Zucconi, F.D. (eds.) Compost: Production, Quality and Use. pp. 30–51. Elsevier, London (1987)

  32. Rynk, R., van de Kamp, M., Willson, G.B., Singley, M.E., Richard, T.L., Kolega, J.J., Gouin, F.R., Lucien Laliberty, J., Kay, D., Murphy, D.W., Hoitink, H.A.J., Brinton, W.F.: The composting process. In: Rynk, R. (ed.) On-Farm Composting Handbook, pp. 1–186. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, New York (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Haynes, R.J., Murtaza, G., Naidu, R. (eds.): Inorganic and organic constituents and contaminants of biosolids. In: Advances in Agronomy, pp. 165–267. Elsevier Inc, Amsterdam (2009)

  34. Hubbe, M., Nazhad, M., Sánchez, C.: Composting as a way to convert cellulosic biomass and organic waste into high-value soil amendments: a review. BioResources 5, 2808–2854 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Eghball, B., Wienhold, B.J., Gilley, J.E., Eigenberg, R.A.: Mineralization of manure nutrients. J. Soil Water Conserv. 57, 470–473 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Stabnikova, O., Goh, W.-K., Ding, H.-B., Tay, J.-H., Wang, J.-Y.: The use of sewage sludge and horticultural waste to develop artificial soil for plant cultivation in Singapore. Bioresour. Technol. 96, 1073–1080 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Standards & Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM): Organic fertilizers—Specification (First revision), Malaysia (2012)

  38. Briancesco, R., Coccia, A.M., Chiaretti, G., Libera, S.Della, Semproni, M., Bonadonna, L.: Assessment of microbiological and parasitological quality of composted wastes: health implications and hygienic measures. Waste Manag. Res. 26, 196–202 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Acevedo, J.C., Hernández, J.A., Valdés, C.F., Khanal, S.K.: Analysis of operating costs for producing biodiesel from palm oil at pilot-scale in Colombia. Bioresour. Technol. 188, 117–123 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. CDM Executive Board: Project Design Document Form (CDM-SSC-PDD)—Version 03 (2006)

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia for the financial and technical support of this study. The authors also thank Taman Pertanian Universiti (TPU), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia and Perbadanan Putrajaya, Malaysia for their support throughout this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Zulnaim Dzulkurnain, Mohd Ali Hassan & Mohd Rafein Zakaria

  2. Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Ali Hassan & Muhamad Yusuf Hasan

  3. Laboratory of Biopolymer and Derivatives, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Rafein Zakaria

  4. Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Puteri Edaroyati Megat Wahab

  5. Section of BioEngineering Technology, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Institute of Chemical and BioEngineering Technology, Vendor City, Taboh Naning, 78000, Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia

    Muhamad Yusuf Hasan

  6. Department of Biological Functions and Engineering, Graduate School of Life Science and System Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka-ken, 808-0916, Japan

    Yoshihito Shirai

Authors
  1. Zulnaim Dzulkurnain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohd Ali Hassan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohd Rafein Zakaria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Puteri Edaroyati Megat Wahab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muhamad Yusuf Hasan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yoshihito Shirai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohd Ali Hassan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dzulkurnain, Z., Hassan, M.A., Zakaria, M.R. et al. Co-composting of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Landscaping Waste: A Pilot Scale Study. Waste Biomass Valor 8, 695–705 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-016-9645-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-016-9645-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation