Abstract
The change of the degree of stability of compost during the composting process was a kind of guideline for our study. This stability was estimated by monitoring the chemical fractionation (extraction of humic and fulvic acids, and humin) during two cycles of composting. Change of humin (H), humic-like acid carbon (CHA) and fulvic-like acid carbon (CFA) fractions during the composting process of municipal solid wastes were investigated using two windrows W1 (100% of municipal solid wastes) and W2 (60% of municipal solid wastes and 40% of dried sewage sludge). Humin and fulvic acid fractions in the two windrows decreased since the start of composting process and tend to stabilize. At the end of composting process, humic acid fraction is more important in the windrow without sludge (W1) than the one with sludge (W2). The humification indexes used in this study showed that the humic-like acid carbon fraction production takes place largely during the phase of temperature increase (thermophilic phase), and it appeared very active in the windrow W2. At the end of composting process, the E4/E6 ratio value indicated that the compost of W1 is more mature than the compost of W2. The humification ratio (HR) allowed a correct estimation of compost organic matter stabilization level.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) within the framework of a research program. We thank the staff of a semi-industrial composting plant, Mr K. Ben Khedija and Ms Tounsi N. at ANPE, for their assistance, cooperation and participation in this study.
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Fourti, O., Jedidi, N. & Hassen, A. Humic substances change during the co-composting process of municipal solid wastes and sewage sludge. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 26, 2117–2122 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-010-0411-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-010-0411-x