TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of different-sized bulking agents on nitrification process during food waste digestate composting
AU - Li, Dongyi
AU - Kumar, Rajat
AU - Davidraj, Johnravindar
AU - Luo, Liwen
AU - Zhao, Jun
AU - Mathikere Krishnegowda, Manu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023/1/2
Y1 - 2023/1/2
N2 - Food waste digestate (FWD) disposal is a serious bottleneck in anaerobic digestion plants to achieve a circular bioeconomy. FWD could be recycled into nitrogen-rich compost; however, the co-composting process optimisation along with bulking agents is required to reduce nitrogen loss and unwanted gaseous emissions. In the present study, two different-sized bulking agents, namely, wood shaving (WS) and fine sawdust (FS), were used to investigate their impact on FWD composting performance along with the nitrogen dynamics. The mixing of FWD with different bulking agents altered the physiochemical characteristics of composting matrix and the effective composting performance was observed through reduced ammonium nitrogen and increased seed germination index during 28 days of composting. The carbon loss of 19–22% through CO2 emission indicated similar carbon mineralisation with both types of sawdust; however, the nitrogen transformation pathways were different. Only WS treatment demonstrated the nitrification process, whereas the nitrogen loss was higher with FS. A total nitrogen loss of ∼15% was observed in treatments with FS, whereas WS treatments displayed a nitrogen loss of 12%. The outcome of the present study could significantly contribute to the practical aspect of the FWD composting operation with the promotion of the bio-recycling economy.
AB - Food waste digestate (FWD) disposal is a serious bottleneck in anaerobic digestion plants to achieve a circular bioeconomy. FWD could be recycled into nitrogen-rich compost; however, the co-composting process optimisation along with bulking agents is required to reduce nitrogen loss and unwanted gaseous emissions. In the present study, two different-sized bulking agents, namely, wood shaving (WS) and fine sawdust (FS), were used to investigate their impact on FWD composting performance along with the nitrogen dynamics. The mixing of FWD with different bulking agents altered the physiochemical characteristics of composting matrix and the effective composting performance was observed through reduced ammonium nitrogen and increased seed germination index during 28 days of composting. The carbon loss of 19–22% through CO2 emission indicated similar carbon mineralisation with both types of sawdust; however, the nitrogen transformation pathways were different. Only WS treatment demonstrated the nitrification process, whereas the nitrogen loss was higher with FS. A total nitrogen loss of ∼15% was observed in treatments with FS, whereas WS treatments displayed a nitrogen loss of 12%. The outcome of the present study could significantly contribute to the practical aspect of the FWD composting operation with the promotion of the bio-recycling economy.
KW - bulking agent
KW - composting
KW - Food waste digestate
KW - NO emission
KW - nitrogen conservation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145506235&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09593330.2022.2161950
DO - 10.1080/09593330.2022.2161950
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36546563
AN - SCOPUS:85145506235
SN - 0959-3330
JO - Environmental Technology (United Kingdom)
JF - Environmental Technology (United Kingdom)
ER -