title: Effect of matured compost as an inoculating agent on odour removal and maturation of vegetable and fruit waste compost.
abstract: The use of matured compost as an inoculation agent to improve the composting of vegetable and fruit wastes in a laboratory-scale composter was evaluated, and the commercial feasibility of this approach in a pilot-scale (1.8 x 10(4) L) composter was subsequently confirmed. The effect of aeration rate on the physico-chemical and biological properties of compost was also studied. Aeration rate affected the fermentation temperature, moisture content, pH, O2 consumption rate, CO2 production rate and the formation of odour. The optimal aeration rate was 2.5 L air/kg dry solid/min. The CO2 production rate approached the theoretical value during composting and was linearly dependent on temperature, indicating that the compost system had good operating characteristics. The inoculation of cellulolytic bacteria and deodorizing bacteria to compost in the pilot-scale composter led to an 18.2% volatile solids loss and a 64.3% volume reduction ratio in 52 h; only 1.5 ppm(v) odour was detected. This is the first study to focus on both operating performance and odour removal in a pilot-scale composter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism, Hsing Wu Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jong-Tar
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Ying-Chien
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005638:Fruit; D005735:Garbage; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009812:Odorants; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D014675:Vegetables; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen