Evolution of microbial dynamics during the maturation phase of the composting of different types of waste

During composting, facilities usually exert greater control over the bio-oxidative phase of the process, which uses a specific technology and generally has a fixed duration. After this phase, the material is deposited to mature, with less monitoring during the maturation phase. While there has been considerable study of biological parameters during the thermophilic phase, there is less research on the stabilization and maturation phase. This study evaluates the effects of the type of starting material on the evolution of microbial dynamics during the maturation phase of composting. Three waste types were used: sludge from the fish processing industry, municipal sewage sludge and pig manure, each independently mixed with shredded pine wood as bulking agent. The composting system for each waste type comprised a static reactor with capacity of 600 L for the bio-oxidative phase followed by stabilization and maturation phase in triplicate 200 L boxes for 112 days. Phospholipid fatty acids, enzyme activities and physico-chemical parameters were measured throughout the maturation phase. The evolution of the total microbial biomass, Gram + bacteria, Gram − bacteria, fungi and enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, cellulase, protease, acid and alkaline phosphatase) depended significantly on the waste type (p < 0.001). The predominant microbial community for each waste type remained present throughout the maturation process, indicating that the waste type determines the microorganisms that are able to develop at this stage. While fungi predominated during fish sludge maturation, manure and municipal sludge were characterized by a greater proportion of bacteria. Both the structure of the microbial community and enzymatic activities provided important information for monitoring the composting process. More attention should be paid to the maturation phase in order to optimize composting.