title: Impact of the addition of a nitrifying activated sludge on ammonia oxidation during composting of residual household wastes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the nitrogen-microbial community dynamics during composting of a mixture of nitrifying waste activated sludge (WAS) and fine organic fraction of residual household waste (RHW). To examine whether the addition of nitrifying sludge could promote ammonia oxidation and reduce ammonia emissions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fine organic fraction of RHW was mixed with the WAS and homogenized. The mixture and each waste alone were loaded in aerobic cells under controlled conditions, respectively. Both nitrogen and microbial community dynamics were monitored during 50 days of composting. The ammonia oxidizers were quantified and identified in the sludge and compost. The changes in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) concentrations corresponded to the ammonia oxidation rates calculated from nitrogen balance. The addition of WAS did not efficiently reduce ammonia emissions because the Nitrosomonas oligotropha-like AOB introduced declined during the active stage of composting. Ammonia oxidation was probably limited by the intense heterotrophic activities at the active stage. Nitrosomonas europaea/eutropha and Nitrosomonas nitrosa-like AOB were established only during the maturation stage. They were the main contributors to ammonia oxidation during composting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mixing of nitrifying WAS with the RHW during the early stages of composting does not promote ammonia oxidation nor reduce ammonia emissions because of limiting biologic factors during the active stage of composting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mixing of activated sludge with RHW before composting is a common practice on composting plants. This study proved the limitation of this practice to reduce ammonia emissions during composting via bioaugmentation of ammonia-oxidizing organisms. It correlated successfully the ammonia oxidation rate with different groups of ammonia oxidizers and explains the fail of promoting ammonia oxidation during the early stages of composting. It suggests Nit. europaea/eutropha and Nit. nitrosa-like AOB were the main contributors to ammonia oxidation during composting.
authors.affiliation: Irstea, UR GERE, Rennes Cedex, France; Université Européenne de Bretagne, Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dabert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Roux
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mognol
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: De Macedo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Guardia
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001105:Archaea / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D058465:Nitrification; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D009606:Nitrosomonas / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products; D000641:Ammonia; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: ammonia emissions; ammonia oxidation; bioaugmentation; composting; nitrification; nitrogen; residual household wastes; waste activated sludge