title: Microbial C and N dynamics during composting process of urban solid waste.
abstract: Microbial characterization of composting is of importance for the optimization of the process and the quality of the end product. The aim of this work was to follow microbial biomass C and N dynamics during the composting process of urban solid waste. Microbial biomass C (B(C)) ranged from 4.06 to 1 microg kg(-1) of dry compost from day 5 to day 62 and decreased to reach 0.44 mg kg(-1) in mature compost. Microbial biomass N (B(N)) showed the same trend as B(C), ranging from 1.472 to 0.443 microg kg(-1) of dry compost from day 5 to day 62. This behaviour is probably related to the decreasing availability of readily decomposable substrates with the ongoing of the process. B(C) and B(N) showed a strong correlation (r = 0.78). The dynamics of the B(C)/B(N) ratio, index of the chemical composition of the whole microbial population suggested a shift in the composition of microbial populations during the process from prevailing bacteria and actinomycetes to prevailing fungi.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, Hammam Lif, Tunisia. benayedlayla@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Layla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ben Ayed
authors.forename: Abdennaceur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassen
authors.forename: Naceur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jedidi
authors.forename: Neila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bouzaiane
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Murano
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002947:Cities; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen