抗生素菌渣堆肥进程中微生物群落的变化

将青霉素菌渣、林可霉素菌渣与牛粪等原料分别进行好氧堆肥实验，以考察堆肥过程中不同菌渣对微生物群落的影响。在堆制的41d里，根据温度变化分阶段采集堆肥样品，采用稀释倒平板法测定细菌、放线菌和真菌的数量。结果表明，菌渣不同，其堆肥中的微生物群落变化趋势不同。青霉素菌渣堆肥中细菌数量变化趋势为高一低，真菌数量变化趋势为高一低．高，放线菌数量为逐渐增加；林可霉素菌渣堆肥过程中细菌数量变化趋势为低一高一低，放线菌和真菌数量变化趋势为高．低．高。依据真菌菌落形态观察，菌渣堆肥中的真菌种类比对照牛粪堆肥单一，表明两种菌渣对堆肥中的微生物多样性均产生了不利影响。林可霉素菌渣堆肥初始时的细菌数量比对照低1个数量级，放线菌数量在整个堆肥进程中都明显低于对照，堆肥结束时，随着菌渣含量的增加，放线菌数量逐渐下降，高温期真菌数量下降幅度随着菌渣含量增加而加大，表明林可霉素菌渣对细菌、放线菌和真菌均有不同程度的抑制。堆肥化后菌渣中林可霉素残留量的减少表明，在一定条件下堆肥处理可以将抗生素菌渣无害化和资源化。     

The fate of the recombinant DNA in corn during composting

In order to make regulations that safeguard food and the environment, an understanding of the fate oftransgenes from genetically modified (GM) plants is of crucial importance. A compost experiment including mature transgenic corn plants and seeds of event Bt 176 (Zea mays L.) was conducted to trace the fate of the transgene cryIA(b) during the period of composting. In bin 1, shredded corn plants including seeds were composted above a layer of cow manure and samples from the corn layer were collected at intervals during a 12-month period. The samples were tested for the transgene persistence and microbial counts and also the compost was monitored for temperature. In bin 2, piles of corn seeds, surrounded by sheep manure and straw, were composted for 12 months. A method combining nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and southern hybridization was developed for detection of the transgene in compost. The detection sensitivity was 200 copies of the transgene per gram of dry composted corn material. Composting commenced on day 0, and the transgene was detected in specimens from bin 1 on days 0 and 7 but not on day 14 or thereafter. The transgene in corn seeds was not detectable after 12 months of composting in bin 2. Temperatures in both bins rose to about 50 degrees C within 2 weeks and remained above that temperature for about 3 months, even when the ambient temperature dropped below -20 degrees C. Extracts from compost were inoculated onto culture plates and then were incubated at 23 to 55 degrees C. Within the first 2 weeks of composting in bin 1, the counts of bacteria incubated at 55 degrees C increased from 3.5 to 7.5 log10, whereas those incubated at 23 degrees C remained at about 7.5 log10. The counts of fungi incubated at 45 degrees C increased slightly from 2.5 to 3.1 log10, but those incubated at 23 degrees C decreased from 6.3 to 3.0 log10. The rapid degradation of the transgene during composting of Bt corn plants suggested that the composting process could be used for safe disposal of transgenic plant wastes.     

Comparative mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket

The effects of organic loading rate and operating temperature on the microbial diversity and performances of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating palm oil mill effluent (POME) were investigated. The following two UASB reactors were run in parallel for comparison: (1) under a mesophilic condition (37 degrees C) and (2) under a mesophilic condition in transition to a thermophilic condition (57 degrees C). A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis showed that the microbial population profiles significantly changed with the organic loading rate (OLR) and the temperature transition from the mesophilic to the thermophilic condition. Significant biomass washout was observed for the mesophilic UASB when operating at a high organic loading rate (OLR) of 9.5 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L.d. In contrast, the thermophilic UASB can be operated at this OLR and at a temperature of 57 degrees C with satisfactory COD removal and biogas production. The PCR-based DGGE analysis suggested that the thermophilic temperature of 57 degrees C was suitable for a number of hydrolytic, acidogenic, and acetogenic bacteria.     

Composting of spent pig litter at different seasonal temperatures in subtropical climate

To investigate the effects of seasonal temperatures on the composting of spent pig-manure sawdust litter (spent litter), two sets of experiments were carried out: one during winter, the other during summer. Physicochemical and microbial parameters including temperature, pH, inorganic N, humification indicators (HA and FA), heavy metals (Cu and Zn), total aerobic heterotrophs, ATP content and dehydrogenase activity were measured to understand changes in the spent litter during composting. Results demonstrated that the composting was faster during summer than winter. The spent litter during the summer trial reached maturity at day 56 whereas that of the winter trial was still immature at the end of composting (days 91). Microbial activities during the thermophilic stage of composting were much lower in the winter trial. Values began to increase during the latter part of composting, indicating that the spent litter in this winter trial was biologically unstable and must be further composted to reach full maturity. The changes in the microbial activities of the spent litter during summer or winter reflected the changes in their temperatures and chemical properties. The maturation of the spent litter during summer was accompanied by stabilization of the microbial and chemical properties and a drop in temperature to ambient level. Results of correlation analysis showed that temperature correlated not only with the microbial parameters but also with most of the chemical parameters. These parameters also correlated with each other. Among all the parameters measured, the trend of temperature changes is the simplest and most rapid parameter that can be used to evaluate the maturity of spent litter.     

微生物调控对牛粪堆肥的生物特性影响

研究了微生物调控对牛粪堆肥生物特性的影响.结果表明:(1)与对照相比,接菌(添加HM菌剂)处理可使牛粪堆肥提前2d进入高温期,高温持续时间延长2d.即接菌处理的堆肥温度在第4天达到50.5℃,并保持50℃以上的温度14 d;而对照在第6天达到50.0℃,并保持50℃以上的温度12 d.(2)2种处理堆肥的pH总体呈先升高后降低的趋势,接菌处理的堆肥pH上升幅度不大,比对照低0.1～0.5个pH单位.(3)接菌处理有利于提高牛粪堆肥的纤维素酶、蔗糖酶、脲酶活性水平和峰值.(4)脲酶活性与其他因素之间呈显著负相关(p＜0.01),而温度、pH、蔗糖酶活性和纤维素酶活性之间呈显著正相关(p＜0.01).     

The Fate of the Recombinant DNA in Corn During Composting

Abstract

In order to make regulations that safeguard food and the environment, an understanding of the fate of transgenes from genetically modified (GM) plants is of crucial importance. A compost experiment including mature transgenic corn plants and seeds of event Bt 176 (Zea mays L.) was conducted to trace the fate of the transgene cryIA(b) during the period of composting. In bin 1, shredded corn plants including seeds were composted above a layer of cow manure and samples from the corn layer were collected at intervals during a 12-month period. The samples were tested for the transgene persistence and microbial counts and also the compost was monitored for temperature. In bin 2, piles of corn seeds, surrounded by sheep manure and straw, were composted for 12 months. A method combining nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and southern hybridization was developed for detection of the transgene in compost. The detection sensitivity was 200 copies of the transgene per gram of dry composted corn material. Composting commenced on day 0, and the transgene was detected in specimens from bin 1 on days 0 and 7 but not on day 14 or thereafter. The transgene in corn seeds was not detectable after 12 months of composting in bin 2. Temperatures in both bins rose to about 50°C within 2 weeks and remained above that temperature for about 3 months, even when the ambient temperature dropped below ?20°C. Extracts from compost were inoculated onto culture plates and then were incubated at 23 to 55°C. Within the first 2 weeks of composting in bin 1, the counts of bacteria incubated at 55°C increased from 3.5 to 7.5 log ₁₀, whereas those incubated at 23°C remained at about 7.5 log ₁₀. The counts of fungi incubated at 45°C increased slightly from 2.5 to 3.1 log₁₀, but those incubated at 23°C decreased from 6.3 to 3.0 log ₁₀. The rapid degradation of the transgene during composting of Bt corn plants suggested that the composting process could be used for safe disposal of transgenic plant wastes.     

Insight into the dynamic microbial community and core bacteria in composting from different sources by advanced bioinformatics methods

Microbial communities are important for high composting efficiency and good quality composts. This study was conducted to compare the changes of physicochemical and bacterial characteristics in composting from different raw materials, including chicken manure (CM), duck manure (DM), sheep manure (SM), food waste (FW), and vegetable waste (VW). The role and interactions of core bacteria and their contribution to maturity in diverse composts were analyzed by advanced bioinformatics methods combined sequencing with co-occurrence network and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicated that there were obviously different bacterial composition and diversity in composting from diverse sources. FW had a low pH and different physiochemical characteristics compared to other composts but they all achieved similar maturity products. Redundancy analysis suggested total organic carbon, phosphorus, and temperature governed the composition of microbial species but key factors were different in diverse composts. Network analysis showed completely different interactions of core bacterial community from diverse composts but Thermobifida was the ubiquitous core bacteria in composting bacterial network. Sphaerobacter and Lactobacillus as core genus were presented in the starting mesophilic and thermophilic phases of composting from manure (CM, DM, SM) and municipal solid waste (FW, VW), respectively. SEM indicated core bacteria had the positive, direct, and the biggest (>?80%) effects on composting maturity. Therefore, this study presents theoretical basis to identify and enhance the core bacteria for improving full-scale composting efficiency facing more and more organic wastes.

     

Development of functional composts using spent coffee grounds,poultry manure and biochar through microbial bioaugmentation

Spent coffee grounds (SCG), poultry manure, and agricultural waste-derived biochar were used to manufacture functional composts through microbial bioaugmentation. The highest yield of tomato stalk-based biochar (40.7%) was obtained at 450°C with a surface area of 2.35 m² g^?1. Four pilot-scale composting reactors were established to perform composting for 45 days. The ratios of NH₄⁺–N/NO₃^?–N, which served as an indicator of compost maturity, indicate rapid, and successful composting via microbial bioaugmentation and biochar amendment. Moreover, germination indices for radish also increased by 14–34% through augmentation and biochar amendment. Microbial diversity was also enhanced in the augmented and biochar-amended composts by 7.1–8.9%, where two species of Sphingobacteriaceae were dominant (29–43%). The scavenging activities of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were enhanced by 14.1% and 8.6% in the fruits of pepper plants grown in the presence of the TR-2 (augmentation applied only) and TR-3 (both augmentation and biochar amendment applied) composts, respectively. Total phenolic content was also enhanced by 68% in the fruits of the crops grown in TR-3. Moreover, the other compost, TR-L (augmentation applied only), boosted DPPH scavenging activity by 111% in leeks compared with commercial organic fertilizer, while TR-3 increased the phenolic content by 44.8%. Composting facilitated by microbial augmentation and biochar amendment shortened the composting time and enhanced the quality of the functional compost. These results indicate that functional compost has great potential to compete with commercially available organic fertilizers and that the novel composting technology could significantly contribute to the eco-friendly recycling of organic wastes such as spent coffee grounds, poultry manure, and agricultural wastes.     

Microbiological aspects of humid husk composting

The feasibility of composting as disposal practice of husk mixed with olive mill wastewaters (OMW) was studied in the present research. The process was investigated with regards to some reliable and easy to be determined microbial activity parameters such as the ATP content, the activity of a pool of enzymes and the viable counts, keeping in mind the well known bias of this last technique. Two different composting technologies were compared: static pile and reactor by studying the cured composts obtained. Among the bioindicators tested, the composting process trend was described better by the ATP content and the activity of some enzymes. In fact, the ATP content showed an increase during the thermophilic phase in both the pile and the reactor, and decreased at the end of the process, it was also higher in the bioreactor-pile technology than in the pile. With regard to the enzymatic activity, with the reactor technology experiment, two peaks were evidenced in the thermophilic phase and during the curing phase in pile, and a drop during the transfer of material from the reactor to the pile. The quality of the cured product obtained using the reactor technology has been evaluated considering phytoxicity and hygienic features: the stabilised compost resulted to have neither phytoxical effect, nor faecal indicator contaminants.     

Formation of chloromethoxybenzaldehyde during composting of organic household waste

Standardized household waste was mixed with different litter amendments, straw, leaves, hardwood shavings, softwood shavings, paper, and sphagnum peat, resulting in six compost mixtures. In addition non-amended household waste was composted. Composting was done in small rotatable bins and compost samples were taken on a regular basis until day 590. Extraction and analysis of wet compost samples showed no evidence for the presence of chloroorganic compounds. Drying and re-wetting of compost samples, however, revealed that chloromethoxybenzaldehyde (CMBA) was formed in all composts at concentrations varying between 5.6 and 73.4 microg kg(-1) dry matter. CMBA was not present in the original materials. During composting, there was a clear positive relation between formation of CMBA and microbial activity, as indicated by C losses and temperature. Formation took place during the most intensive phase of composting when C losses were highest. Under anaerobic conditions, however, which prevailed initially in the non-amended compost, no CMBA was formed. Calculation of total amounts of CMBA in composts revealed that there was a small decrease during storage in the hardwood, peat, and softwood composts. However, all composts contained CMBA after 590 days. The mean concentration was 33.4 microg kg(-1) dry matter (s.d. = 21.9). Possible biocidal effects of composts when used in cultivation may be explainable by the presence of natural toxic compounds formed during composting.     

添加氮损失抑制剂对蓝藻泥堆肥质量的影响

对脱水蓝藻进行大型生产性堆肥实验。研究堆肥过程中,氮损失抑制剂过磷酸钙的添加对堆肥物料各类理化性质的影响。研究结果表明,过磷酸钙加入的处理组与未加过磷酸钙的对照组堆制37 d后堆肥物料均可腐熟,且堆肥肥效均符合NY525-2002的相关要求。添加过磷酸钙处理组有机质含量为490 g/kg,全N、全P和全K含量分别为20.75、10.02和11.32 g/kg,总养分含量达到9.77%,堆肥品质明显优于对照处理。同时,在微生物的作用下,对照组中微囊藻毒素MC-RR与微囊藻毒素MC-LR去除率分别达到89.8%与78.3%。值得一提的是,添加过磷酸钙后,MC-RR和MC-LR的去除率得到进一步提高,分别达到了92.96%和100%,较好地保证了蓝藻堆肥农用的安全性,为脱水蓝藻好氧堆肥化提供了可行性依据。     

The addition of modified attapulgite reduces the emission of nitrous oxide and ammonia from aerobically composted chicken manure

The acceleration of the composting process and the improvement of compost quality have been explored by evaluating the efficacy of various additives, inoculating with specific microorganisms and the application of various biosurfactants. The magnesium-aluminum silicate attapulgite is a low-cost potential composting additive, but its effects on aerobic composting are unknown. This study investigated the effects of attapulgite application on compost production and quality during the aerobic composting of chicken manure. Addition of attapulgite significantly increased the temperature (p < 0.05) while it reduced compost total organic carbon (TOC) and seed germination indices (GIs) throughout the process. Its addition enhanced nitrate concentrations, promoted organic matter degradation, increased seed germination indices, and accelerated the composting process. Interestingly, attapulgite addition did not increase the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. These results suggest that attapulgite is a good additive for the composting industry.

Implications: We investigated the addition of two forms of attapulgite during aerobic composting of chicken manure to determine their effects under strict composting environmental parameter control. Our results provides primary evidence that attapulgite may have potential for application in the composting industry.

All treatments showed no increase within the first 15 days. However, emissions increased for all treatments within 15–45 days, reaching approximately 6300, 2000, and 4000 mg/m² from the control, artifactitious attapulgite, and raw attapulgite treatments, respectively.     

生物表面活性剂在城市污泥静态强制通风好氧堆肥中的作用

采用静态强制通风好氧堆肥模式对城市剩余污泥进行堆肥降解,并研究了生物表面活性剂鼠李糖脂对堆肥过程的作用。结果表明,堆肥过程中,添加了质量分数为0.015%鼠李糖脂溶液堆制处理和空白对照堆制处理的堆温变化都明显呈现出中温期0～5 d、高温期6～12 d和降温期13～28 d 3个阶段。实验组比空白组的堆体升温快、高温期持续时间长、堆体的含水率高。鼠李糖脂的添加,使实验组的微生物数量高于空白组。添加鼠李糖脂的堆体和空白堆体的种子发芽指数(GI)在堆肥结束时分别为53.70%和50.80%,说明鼠李糖脂促进了堆肥的腐熟,但由于相对浓缩效应,堆肥产品的重金属含量略高于空白堆体。生物表面活性剂的介入促进了堆肥中木质纤维素的初步降解。研究表明,添加鼠李糖脂能够改善堆肥处理的微环境,促进有机质降解和堆肥的腐熟。     

Dynamics of copper and tetracyclines during composting of water hyacinth biomass amended with peat or pig manure

Composting is one of the post-treatment methods for phytoremediation plants. Due to a high potential of water hyacinth to accumulate pollutants, the physicochemical parameters, microbial activity as well as fates of copper (Cu) and tetracyclines (TCs) were investigated for the different amended water hyacinth biomass harvested from intensive livestock and poultry wastewater, including unamended water hyacinth (W), water hyacinth amended with peat (WP), and water hyacinth amended with pig manure (WPM) during the composting process. Pig manure application accelerated the composting process as evidenced by an increase of temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), NH₄-N, as well as functional diversity of microbial communities compared to W and WP treatments. Composting process was slowed down by high Cu, but not by TCs. The addition of peat significantly increased the residual fraction of Cu, while pig manure addition increased available Cu concentration in the final compost. Cu could be effectively transformed into low available (oxidizable) and residual fractions after fermentation. In contrast, less than 0.5% of initial concentrations of TCs were determined at the end of 60-day composting for all treatments in the final composts. The dissipation of TCs was accelerated by the high Cu concentration during composting. Therefore, composting is an effective method for the post-treatment and resource utilization of phytoremediation plants containing Cu and/or TCs.     

微生物生理群在猪粪秸秆高温堆肥碳氮转化中的作用

在自制的强制通风静态堆肥反应箱中,猪粪与秸秆以鲜重7∶1的比例进行了堆肥化实验,在堆制的23 d里根据堆温变化分阶段采集堆肥样品,利用MPN法测定了堆料中纤维素分解菌和氮素微生物生理群的数量变化,同时测定了相应的碳、氮含量。结果表明,纤维素分解菌在稳定腐熟阶段较多,对于后期有机碳的降解和腐殖质含量的增大起了很大的作用,在堆制的23 d里,腐殖质增加了2.4%。整个堆制过程中,氨化细菌的数量最大且与氨气释放浓度和铵态氮含量呈显著正相关,都在高温期增加,降温期后减少,氨化细菌的数量在高温期的增加率远高于降温期后的减少率,而铵态氮在高温期的增加率远低于在降温后期的减少率,铵态氮总体上减少了74.1%;亚硝化细菌数量与硝态氮呈正相关;反硝化细菌数量在降温期上升幅度较大,堆制结束时为堆制初期的13倍,且与堆肥中硝态氮含量呈正相关;硝态氮含量增加了87.5%;堆肥后期硝态氮的增加可能与堆肥中存在能进行硝化作用的反硝化细菌有关。固氮菌数量在堆制结束时达堆制初期的2.61倍,主要在降温期增加较多,对堆肥中有机氮的形成起很大作用。     

Bioaerosol generation at large-scale green waste composting plants

Bioaerosol release from composting plants is a cause of concern because of the potential health impacts on site workers and local residents. A one-year monitoring was undertaken in a typical composting plant treating green wastes by windrowing in the open. Aspergillus fumigatus spores and mesophilic bacteria were used as monitoring parameters and were collected in a six-stage Andersen sampler impactor from the air at different locations and during different operational activities. Background concentrations of both microorganisms were generally below 1000 colony-forming units m(-3) when no vigorous activity was taking place. Shredding of fresh green wastes, pile turning, and screening of mature compost were identified as the activities generating the highest amounts of both bioaerosols 40 m downwind of the composting pad. These air concentrations were approximately 2 log units higher than background levels. Screening of mature compost generated lower amounts of A. fumigatus than the other two activities (an average of 1 log unit higher than background levels). Workers were identified as the main potential receptors of high bioaerosol concentrations in areas close to the composting pad, whereas no major risk for local residents was expected because the concentrations recorded at distances of 200 and 300 m downwind of the operational area were not significantly different from background levels.     

Influence of aeration rate and reactor shape on the composting of poultry manure and sawdust

To achieve successful composting, all the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics need to be considered. The investigation of our study was based on various physicochemical properties, i.e., temperature, ammonia concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, organic matter (OM) content, moisture content, bacterial population, and seed germination index (GI), during the composting of poultry manure and sawdust for different aeration rates and reactor shapes. Three cylindrical-shaped and three rectangular-shaped pilot-scale 60-L composting reactors were used in this study, with aeration rates of 0.3 (low), 0.6 (medium), and 0.9 (high) L min^?1 kg^?1 DM (dry matter). All parameters were monitored over 21 days of composting. Results showed that the low aeration rate (0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM) corresponded to a higher and longer thermophilic phase than did the high aeration rate (0.9 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM). Ammonia and carbon dioxide volatilization were directly related to the temperature profile of the substrate, with significant differences between the low and high aeration rates during weeks 2 and 3 of composting but no significant difference observed during week 1. At the end of our study, the final values of pH, EC, moisture content, C/N ratio, and organic matter in all compost reactors were lower than those at the start. The growth rates of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria were directly correlated with mesophilic and thermophilic conditions of the compost. The final GI of the cylindrical reactor with an airflow rate of 0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM was 82.3%, whereas the GIs of the other compost reactors were below 80%. In this study, compost of a cylindrical reactor with a low aeration rate (0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM) was more stable and mature than the other reactors.

Implications: The poultry industry is growing in South Korea, but there are problems associated with the management of poultry manure, and composting is one solution that could be valuable for crops and forage if managed properly. For high-quality composting, the aeration rate in different reactor shapes must be considered. The objective of this study was to investigate various physicochemical properties with different aeration rates and rector shapes. Results showed that aeration rate of 0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM in a cylindrical reactor provides better condition for maturation of compost.     

Biodegradation of polylactide in aerobic and anaerobic thermophilic conditions

Biodegradable polymers are designed to resist a number of environmental factors during use, but to be biodegradable under disposal conditions. The biodegradation of polylactide (PLLA) was studied at different elevated temperatures in both aerobic and anaerobic, aquatic and solid state conditions. In the aerobic aquatic headspace test the mineralisation of PLLA was very slow at room temperature, but faster under thermophilic conditions. The clear effect of temperature on the biodegradability of PLLA in the aquatic tests indicates that its polymer structure has to be hydrolysed before microorganisms can utilise it as a nutrient source. At similar elevated temperatures, the biodegradation of PLLA was much faster in anaerobic solid state conditions than in aerobic aquatic conditions. The behaviour of PLLA in the natural composting process was similar to that in the aquatic biodegradation tests, biodegradation starting only after the beginning of the thermophilic phase. These results indicate that PLLA can be considered as a compostable material, being stable during use at mesophilic temperatures, but degrading rapidly during waste disposal in compost or anaerobic treatment facilities.     

Ammonia emissions from the composting of different organic wastes. Dependency on process temperature

Ammonia emissions were quantified for the laboratory-scale composting of three typical organic wastes with medium nitrogen content: organic fraction of municipal solid wastes, raw sludge and anaerobically digested sludge; and the composting of two wastes with high nitrogen content: animal by-products from slaughterhouses and partially hydrolysed hair from the leather industry. All the wastes were mixed with the proper amount of bulking agent. Ammonia emitted in the composting of the five wastes investigated revealed a strong dependence on temperature, with a distinct pattern found in ammonia emissions for each waste in the thermophilic first stage of composting (exponential increase of ammonia emitted when increasing temperature) than that of the mesophilic final stage (linear increase of ammonia emissions when increasing temperature). As composting needs high temperatures to ensure the sanitisation of compost and ammonia emissions are one of the main environmental impacts associated to composting and responsible for obtaining compost with a low agronomical quality, it is proposed that sanitisation is conducted after the first stage in large-scale composting facilities by a proper temperature control. CAPSULE: Ammonia emission pattern and correlation with process temperature are presented for the composting process of different organic wastes.     

Removal of DEHP in composting and aeration of sewage sludge

The potential of composting and aeration to remove bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) from municipal sewage sludge was studied with two dewatered sludges: raw sludge and anaerobically digested sludge. Composting removed 58% of the DEHP content of the raw sludge and 34% of that of the anaerobically digested sludge during 85 days stabilisation in compost bins. A similar removal for the anaerobically digested sludge was achieved in a rotary drum in 28 days. Less than 1% of DEHP was removed with the compost leachate. Although DEHP removal was greater from raw sludge compost than anaerobically digested sludge compost, the total and volatile solids removals were on the same level in the two composts. In the aeration of raw sludge at 20 degrees C the DEHP removals were 33-41% and 50-62% in 7 and 28 days, respectively. Both composting and aeration are concluded to have the potential to reduce the DEHP contents typically found in sewage sludges to levels acceptable for agricultural use.