Abstract
To evaluate the use of coal fly ash (CFA) on the decomposition efficiency of food waste, synthetic food waste was mixed with lime at 1.5% and 3% (equivalent to 0.94% and 1.88% CaCO3, respectively), CFA at 5%, 10% and 15% with lime so as to achieve CaCO3 equivalent of 1.88% and composted for 42 days in a thermophilic 20 l composter with two replicates each. Alkaline materials at 1.88% CaCO3 equivalent successfully buffered the pH during the composting and enhanced the decomposition efficiency. When these buffering was achieved with CFA + lime, the composting period could be shortened to ∼28 days compared with ∼42 days in 3% lime. Organic decomposition in terms of CO2 loss, carbon turnover and nitrogen transformation were significantly higher for treatments with 1.88% CaCO3 equivalent. Nutrient transformations and compost maturity parameters indicated that addition of CFA (5-10%) with lime at 1.88% CaCO3 equivalent enhances the decomposition efficiency and shortens the composting period by 35%.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 3324-3331 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Bioresource Technology |
Volume | 100 |
Issue number | 13 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2009 |
Scopus Subject Areas
- Bioengineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Waste Management and Disposal
User-Defined Keywords
- Alkaline amendment
- Compost maturity
- Germination index
- Nitrogen transformation
- VFA-degrading bacteria