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TECHNICAL REPORT
Waste Management

Leachate Chemistry of Field-Weathered Spent Mushroom Substrate

Department of Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA 16802

* Corresponding author (jdc7{at}psu.edu)

Received for publication November 15, 2000. Passive leaching by rainfall and snowmelt is a popular method to treat piles of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) before its reuse. During this field weathering process, leachate percolates into the underlying soils. A field study was conducted to examine the chemistry of SMS leachate and effects of infiltration. Two SMS piles were deposited (90 and 150 cm in height) over a Typic Hapludult and weathered for 24 mo. Leachate was collected biweekly using passive capillary samplers. The SMS leachate contained high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC; 0.8–11.0 g L^-1), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; 0.1–2 g L^-1), and inorganic salts. The pH, electrical conductivity, and acid neutralizing capacity were 6.6 to 9.0, 21 to 66 ds m^-1, and 10 to 75 mmol_c L^-1, respectively. Inorganic chemistry of the leachate was dominated by K⁺, Cl^-, and SO^2-₄. Leachate DOC was predominantly low molecular weight (<1000 Da) organic acids. During 2 yr of weathering, the 90-cm SMS pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 3.0 kg of DOC, 1.6 kg of dissolved N, and 26.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150-cm pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 2.8 kg of DOC, 0.7 kg of dissolved N, and 13.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150-cm pile retained more water and exhibited lower net nitrification compared with the 90-cm pile. The top 90 cm of soil retained 20 to 89% of the leachate solutes. Weathering of SMS in piles of 90 cm depth or greater may adversely affect ground water quality.

Abbreviations: ANC, acid neutralizing capacity • DOC, dissolved organic carbon • DOM, dissolved organic matter • DON, dissolved organic nitrogen • EC, electrical conductivity • HMW, high molecular weight • IC, ion chromatography • LMW, low molecular weight • LMWOA, low molecular weight organic acid • PL3, leachate collected directly from the 90-cm spent mushroom substrate pile • PL5, leachate collected directly from the 150-cm spent mushroom substrate pile • SL3, soil leachate collected underneath the 90-cm pile at 90 cm soil depth • SL5, soil leachate collected underneath the 150-cm pile at 90 cm soil depth • SC, control soil leachate collected in an adjacent corn field at 90 cm soil depth • SMS, spent mushroom substrate

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