Microbial C and N dynamics during composting process of urban solid waste

Abstract

Microbial characterization of composting is of importance for the optimization of the process and the quality of the end product. The aim of this work was to follow microbial biomass C and N dynamics during the composting process of urban solid waste. Microbial biomass C (B _C) ranged from 4.06 to 1 μg kg^-1 of dry compost from day 5 to day 62 and decreased to reach 0.44 mg kg^-1 in mature compost. Microbial biomass N (B _N) showed the same trend as B _C, ranging from 1.472 to 0.443 μg kg^-1 of dry compost from day 5 to day 62. This behaviour is probably related to the decreasing availability of readily decomposable substrates with the ongoing of the process. B _C and B _N showed a strong correlation (r = 0.78). The dynamics of the B _C/B _N ratio, index of the chemical composition of the whole microbial population suggested a shift in the composition of microbial populations during the process from prevailing bacteria and actinomycetes to prevailing fungi.

Keywords

Compost total microbial biomass carbon nitrogen fumigation–extraction wmr 970–6

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alberta, G. (1984) Aspects bactériologiques du compostage des boues résiduaires de stations d'épuration d'eau. Thése de zéme cycle. Université de Nancy I, France, 200p.

Alef, K. & Nannipieri, P. (1995) B-glucosidase activity. In: Alef, K. and Nannipieri P. (eds): Methods in Applied Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, pp. 350–352. Academic Press, London .

Amato, M. & Ladd, J. N. 1988. Assay for microbial biomass based on ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen in extracts of fumigated soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 20, 107–114 .

Brooks, P. C. , Landman, A. , Pruden, G. & Jenkinson, D. S. (1985) Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: a rapid extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 17, 837–842 .

Chaussod, R. , Zuvia, M. , Breuil, M. C. & Hetier J. M. (1992) Biomasse microbienne et statut organique des sols tropicaux: exemple d'un sol vénézuélien des Llanos sous différents systèmes de culture. [Microbial biomass and organic status of tropical soils: example of a Venezuelan soil of Llanos under different structural systems] Cahiers ORSTOM Série Pédologie, 27, 59–67 .

Chen, Y. , Inbar, Y. , Chefetz, B. & Hadar, Y. (1997) Composting and recycling organic waste. In: Rose, D. , Tel-Or, E. , Hadar, Y. & Chen, Y. (eds): Modern Agriculture and the Environment, pp. 341–362. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands .

Chotte, J. L. , Ladd, J. N. & Amato, M. (1998) Sites of microbial assimilation and turnover of soluble and particulate 14C-labelled substrates decomposing in a clay soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 30, 205–218 .

De Nobili, M. , Baca, M. T. , Fornassier, F. & Mondini, C. (1996) Ninhydrinreactive nitrogen of CHCl3 fumigated and non fumigated compost extracts as a parameter to evaluate compost stability. In: De Bertoldi, M. , Sequi, P. , Lemmes, P. & Papi, T. (eds): The Science of Composting, pp. 255–261. Blackie Academic & Professional, Glasgow, Scotland .

Epstein, E. (1997) Basic concepts. In: The Science of Composting, pp. 36–39. Technomic Publishing Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania .

10.

Garcia, C. , Hernandez, T. , Costa, F. , Ceccanti, B. & Ciardi, C. (1992) Changes in ATP content, enzyme activity and inorganic nitrogen species during composting of organic wastes. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 72, 243–253 .

11.

Gillet, R. (1986) Traité de gestion des déchets solides et son application aux pays en voie de développement. Vol. 2: les traitements industriels des ordures ménagères et des déchets assimilés. Organisation et gestion d'un service [Industrial treatment of urban and assimilated wastes. Organization and management of a service. Management treaty of solid wastes and its application to under developed countries. Vol. 2]. 538p-538p. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen .

12.

Hachicha, R. , Hassen, A. , Jedidi N. , Kallali, H. (1992) Optimal conditions for municipal solid waste. Biocycle, 6, 76–77 .

13.

Hellmann, B. , Zelles, L. , Palojarvi, A. & Quingyun, B. (1997) Emission of climate-relevant trace gases and succession of microbial communities during open-window composting. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63, 1011–1018 .

14.

Horwath, R. H , Elliott, F. E & Churcill, D. B. (1995) Mechanisms regulating composting of high carbon to nitrogen ratio grass straw. Compost Science and Utilization, 3, 22–30 .

15.

Horwath, W. R. & Elliot, L. F. (1996) Microbial C and N dynamics mesophilic and thermophilic incubations of ryegrass. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 22, 1–9 .

16.

Insam, H. , Amor, K. , Rener, M. & Crepaz, C. (1996) Changes in functional abilities of the microbial community during composting of manure. Microbial Ecology, 31, 77–87 .

17.

Jedidi, N. , Hassen, A. , Van Cleemput, O. & M'hiri, A. (2004) Microbial biomass in a soil amended with different types of organic wastes. Waste Management and Research, 22, 93–99 .

18.

Joergensen, R. G. & Brooks, P. C. (1990) Ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen measurements of microbial biomass in 0.5 M K2SO4 soil extracts . Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 22, 1023–1027 .

19.

Joergensen, R. G. 1996 Composting as a process based on the control of ecologically selective factors. In: Metting, Jr., F. B. (ed.): Soil Microbial Ecology, pp. 515–539. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y.

20.

Klamer, M. & Baath, E. (1998) Microbial community dynamics during composting of straw material studied using phospholipids fatty acid analysis. FEMS Microbiology and Ecology, 27, 9–20 .

21.

Lalande, R. , Gagnon, B. & Simard, R. R. (1998) Microbial biomass C and alkaline phosphatase activity in two compost amended soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 78, 581–587 .

22.

Leton, T. G. and Stentiford, E. I. , (1990) Control of aeration in static pile composting. Waste Management Resource, 8, 299–306 .

23.

Marrug, C. , Grebus, M. , Hassen, R. C. , Keener, H. M. , Hoitink, H. A. J. (1993) A kinetic model of yard waste composting process. Compost Science Utilities, 1, 38–51 .

24.

Miller, F. C. (1991) Composting as a process based on the control of ecologically selective factors. In: Metting, Jr., F. Ž. (ed.): Soil Microbial Ecology. Applications in Agriculture and Management, pp. 515–544. Dekker, New York .

25.

Mondini, C. , Sanchez Monedero, M. A , Leita, L. , Bragato, G. & De Nobili, M. (1997) Carbon and ninhydrin reactive nitrogen of the microbial biomass in rewetted compost samples. Communications in Soils Science and Plant Analysis, 28, 113–122 .

26.

Mondini, C. , Contin, M. , Leita, L. & De Nobili, M. (2002) Response of microbial biomass to air-drying and rewetting in soils and compost. Geoderma, 105, 111–124 .

27.

Mustin, M. (1987) Le compost: gestion de la matiére organique. Editions François Dubusc. 953p. Paris.

28.

Paul, E. A. & Clark, F. E. (1996) The commercialization of soil organisms. In: Clark, E. A. & Paul, E. A. (eds): Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, pp. 265–287. Academic Press, San Diego, CA .

29.

Powlson, D. S. (1994)The soil microbial biomass: before beyond and back. In: Clark, E. A. & Paul, E. A. (eds): Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, pp. 3–20. Academic Press, San Diego, CA .

30.

Stevenson, F. J. (1994) Humus Chemistry: Genesis, Composition, Reactions, 2nd edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York .

31.

Tiquia, S. M. , Tam, N. F. U. & Hodgkiss, I. J. (1996) Microbial activities during composting of spent pig manure sawdust litter at different moisture contents. Bioresource Technology, 55, 201–206 .

32.

Vance, E. D , Brookes, P. C & Jenkinson, D. S. (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 19, 703–707 .

33.

Voroney, R. P. , Winter, J. P. & Gregorich, E. G. (1991) Microbe/plant soil interactions. In: Coleman, D. C. & Fry, B. (eds): Carbon Isotope Techniques, pp. 77–99. Academic Press, New York .