title: Degradation of morphine in opium poppy processing waste composting.
abstract: To investigate morphine degradation and optimize turning frequency in opium poppy processing waste composting, a pilot scale windrow composting trial was run for 55 days. Four treatments were designed as without turning (A1), every 5 days turning (A2), every 10 days turning (A3) and every 15 days turning (A4). During composting, a range of physicochemical parameters including the residual morphine degradation, temperature, pH, and the contents of total C, total N, total P and total K were investigated. For all treatments, the residual morphine content decreased below the detection limit and reached the safety standards after day 30 of composting, the longest duration of high temperature (⩾50 °C) was observed in A3, pH increased 16.9-17.54%, total carbon content decreased 15.5-22.5%, C/N ratio reduced from 46 to 26, and the content of total phosphorus and total potassium increased slightly. The final compost obtained by a mixture of all four piles was up to 55.3% of organic matter, 3.3% of total nutrient (N, P2O5 and K2O) and 7.6 of pH. A turning frequency of every ten days for a windrow composting of opium poppy processing waste is recommended to produce homogenous compost.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Science, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: kjkfpp@163.com.
authors.forename: Yin Quan
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Jin Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Agricultural Technology and Biosystems Engineering, Braunschweig 38116, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schuchardt
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Science, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009020:Morphine / Q000737:chemistry*; D009892:Opium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010207:Papaver / Q000737:chemistry*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012987:Soil; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D009020:Morphine; D009892:Opium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Composting; Morphine degradation; Opium poppy processing waste; Turning frequency