title: Enhanced ammonia content in compost leachate processed by black soldier fly larvae.
abstract: Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae (Hermetia illucens), feeding on leachate from decaying vegetable and food scrap waste, increase ammonia (NH                            (4)                                      (+)                         ) concentration five- to sixfold relative to leachate unprocessed by larvae. NH                            (4)                                      (+)                          in larva-processed leachate reached levels as high as ∼100 mM. Most of this NH                            (4)                                      (+)                          appears to have come from organic nitrogen within the frass produced by the larvae as they fed on leachate. In nitrate-enriched solutions, BSF larvae also facilitate dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia. The markedly higher concentration of NH                            (4)                                      (+)                          recovered in leachates processed with BSF larvae and concomitant diversion of nutrients into insect biomass (itself a valuable feedstock) indicate that the use of BSF larvae in processing leachate of decaying organic waste could be advantageous in offsetting capital and environmental costs incurred in composting.
authors.affiliation: TGA LLC, 13851 Verte Court, Lake Oswego, OR, 97034, USA. greent@spiretech.com
authors.forename: Terrence R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Popa
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D058440:Denitrification; D004175:Diptera / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D014675:Vegetables / Q000378:metabolism; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D014867:Water; D000641:Ammonia; D009584:Nitrogen