title: Formation of chloromethoxybenzaldehyde during composting of organic household waste.
abstract: Standardized household waste was mixed with different litter amendments, straw, leaves, hardwood shavings, softwood shavings, paper, and sphagnum peat, resulting in six compost mixtures. In addition non-amended household waste was composted. Composting was done in small rotatable bins and compost samples were taken on a regular basis until day 590. Extraction and analysis of wet compost samples showed no evidence for the presence of chloroorganic compounds. Drying and re-wetting of compost samples, however, revealed that chloromethoxybenzaldehyde (CMBA) was formed in all composts at concentrations varying between 5.6 and 73.4 microg kg(-1) dry matter. CMBA was not present in the original materials. During composting, there was a clear positive relation between formation of CMBA and microbial activity, as indicated by C losses and temperature. Formation took place during the most intensive phase of composting when C losses were highest. Under anaerobic conditions, however, which prevailed initially in the non-amended compost, no CMBA was formed. Calculation of total amounts of CMBA in composts revealed that there was a small decrease during storage in the hardwood, peat, and softwood composts. However, all composts contained CMBA after 590 days. The mean concentration was 33.4 microg kg(-1) dry matter (s.d. = 21.9). Possible biocidal effects of composts when used in cultivation may be explainable by the presence of natural toxic compounds formed during composting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. ylva.eklind@evp.slu.se
authors.forename: Ylva
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eklind
authors.forename: Olof
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hjelm
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kothéus
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirchmann
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D012987:Soil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon