Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6353778 | Waste Management | 2016 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
This study investigated the kinetics of organic matter (OM) removal and humification during composting of sewage sludge and lignocellulosic waste (wood chips, wheat straw, leaves) in an aerated bioreactor. Both OM degradation and humification (humic substances, HS, and humic acids, HA formation) proceeded according to 1. order kinetics. The rate constant of OM degradation was 0.196 dâ1, and the rate of OM degradation was 39.4 mg/g OM d. The kinetic constants of HS and HA formation were 0.044 dâ1 and 0.045 dâ1, whereas the rates of HS and HA formation were 3.46 mg C/g OM d and 3.24 mg C/g OM d, respectively. The concentration profiles of HS and HA indicated that humification occurred most intensively during the first 3 months of composting. The high content of HS (182 mg C/g OM) in the final product indicated that the compost could be used in soil remediation as a source of HS for treating soils highly contaminated with heavy metals.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
Authors
Dorota Kulikowska,