HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eklind, Y. Articles by Jönsson, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Eklind, Y. Articles by Jönsson, H. Agricola Articles by Eklind, Y. Articles by Jönsson, H. Related Collections Municipal Waste Microbial Processes Nitrogen

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Waste Management

Carbon Turnover and Ammonia Emissions during Composting of Biowaste at Different Temperatures

^a Dep. of Soil Sciences, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
^b Dep. of Biometry and Engineering, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
^c Dep. of Microbiology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7025, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

^* Corresponding author (cecilia.sundberg{at}bt.slu.se).

Received for publication June 30, 2006. The effects of different process temperatures (40, 55, and 67°C) during composting of source-separated household waste were studied in a 200 L compost reactor at an oxygen concentration of 16%. The overall decomposition measured as carbon mineralization, decomposition of different carbon constituents, and the dynamics of nitrogen mineralization and the microbial community, are reported. Ammonia emissions at 67°C were more than double those at lower temperatures, and they were lowest at 40°C. The decomposition rate, measured as CO₂ emission, was highest at 55°C. Decomposition of crude fat was slower at 40°C than at 55 and 67°C. The peak in microbial biomass was largest in the run at 40°C, where substantial differences were seen in the microbial community structure and succession compared to thermophilic temperatures. Biowaste composting can be optimized to obtain both a high decomposition rate and low ammonia emissions by controlling the process at about 55°C in the initial, high-rate stage. To reduce ammonia emissions it seems worthwhile to reduce the temperature after an initial high-temperature stage.