Molecular characteristics of vermicompost and their relationship to preservation of inoculated nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• We monitor changes on molecular composition over the vermicompost process.
• The increment of hydrophobic compounds occurs with maturation.
• Microorganisms’ persistence was related with vermicompost chemical composition.
• Understanding chemical nature makes possible increase vermicompost value and activity.

The chemical nature of organic matter during the process of vermicomposting of cattle manure and filter cake from a sugar factory was characterized by thermochemolysis. The pyrolysates were mainly constituted of lignin moieties from propanoic acid units and short-chain (