猪粪堆肥臭气产生与调控的研究

通过两次室外中型堆肥试验，研究在相同水分条件(68.8%)，不同调理剂、不同碳氮比(C/N)、不同通气方式以及不同添加剂对猪粪堆肥过程中臭气产生与控制的影响。研究表明：猪粪堆肥中，臭气的主要形式是氨气，主要产生在堆肥的升温及高温期。降低堆肥的pH值、增加微生物对NH⁺₄-N的固定等是控制臭气的有效措施；过磷酸钙添加量为1.5%时，可以降低堆肥的pH值，使NH₃浓度减小，促进NH⁺₄-N向其它形式的氮转变，且不影响堆肥的腐熟；除臭剂试验组堆肥过程中臭味小，堆肥结束后的物理性状最好，不影响猪粪堆肥进程，可在生产中推广。     

不同填充料对猪粪堆肥腐熟过程的影响

采用稻草、木屑、粉煤灰、树叶为猪粪堆肥的填充料，研究了不同填充料与猪粪混合堆肥的温度、总氮、NH4^ —N、NO3^-—N、水溶性有机碳(DOC)和种子发芽系数随时间的变化规律。结果发现，稻草在堆肥过程中很容易腐烂和结块，不宜单独用作猪粪堆肥的填充料；稻草 粉煤灰或树叶 木屑作为填充料加入猪粪混合堆肥中可改善堆肥物料的物理性质，减少物料的结块现象，促进NH4^-—N向NO3^-——N转化，有利于水溶有机碳的分解，提高种子发芽率，促进堆肥的腐熟。     

添加腐熟猪粪对猪粪好氧堆肥效果的影响

为明确添加腐熟猪粪对猪粪好氧堆肥启动期和高温期微生物数量及酶活性变化规律,探讨微生物影响堆肥温度的机制,揭示影响畜禽粪便堆肥持续高温的主要微生物,该研究比较了猪粪自然堆肥与添加腐熟猪粪(质量分数3%)堆肥过程中有机质降解及嗜温、嗜热微生物数量和脱氢酶、蛋白酶、纤维素酶活性变化特征。结果表明,24 h内添加腐熟猪粪堆肥温度比自然堆肥高出5℃,但高温期平均温度较自然堆肥低8℃,高温（＞50℃）期比自然堆肥短4 d。自然堆肥和添加腐熟猪粪堆肥嗜温菌数量先高后低,嗜热菌数量随着温度的升高而上升。添加腐熟猪粪堆肥升温期嗜温、嗜热细菌和纤维素降解菌增殖速度较快,且数量分别比自然堆肥高出12.2%、152.6%、60.3%。添加腐熟猪粪堆肥脱氢酶、纤维素酶活性高峰提前,并使蛋白酶活性增加4.9%。但高温期后,嗜热纤维素降解菌数量比自然堆肥少22.5%,纤维素酶活性及有机质损失率也分别比对照低25.8%、6.1%。以上结果表明,在猪粪高温好氧堆肥中添加腐熟猪粪可以加快堆肥初期升温速度,但由于高温期嗜热纤维素降解菌数量减少,纤维素酶活性降低,不能促进猪粪堆肥持续高温。该研究为猪粪堆肥菌剂的筛选及适宜的接种时间提供依据。     

高温堆肥的水气矛盾

加解决大中型畜禽场粪便的污染和推进有机肥料的产业化,以含水量很高的新鲜猪粪为堆料,进行了静态高温好氧堆肥试验。研究表明,加稻草或稻壳为辅助料的量,以各占粪重的３％,４％为宜;堆制中,发现堆温上升缓慢时,应立即翻堆;高温堆肥的理想水分含量应为６６％左右。     

有机辅料对猪粪堆肥中氨气挥发的抑制效应及其影响因素分析

选取稻草、油菜秸秆和食用菌渣作为猪粪堆肥的有机辅料,研究三种堆肥体系中氨气挥发释放规律及其影响因素。结果表明,经过65 d的堆腐,稻草－猪粪、油菜秸秆－猪粪和菌渣－猪粪堆肥氨气挥发量分别为5.084、6.483和3.013 g/kg,是对照（纯猪粪）处理（7.836g/kg）的64.88%、82.74%和38.45%。从氨气的释放量和释放速率看,菌渣是一种较好的有机辅料。从氨气释放的时间变化特征看,稻草对猪粪堆肥氨气排放高峰期影响最为明显,主要表现为氨气前期猛烈释放且持续时间短,是猪粪快速腐熟技术优选的高效有机辅料。堆腐完成后,三种有机辅料均能减少水溶性NH4+-N的累积,增加水溶性NO3--N的含量,引起pH和EC值下降,提高堆肥全氮含量,促进堆肥有机物和粗纤维的降解,且以稻草和菌渣处理效果最为显著。     

冬季堆肥中翻堆和覆盖对温室气体和氨气排放的影响

为明确冬季条垛堆肥过程中温室气体排放规律和主要影响因素,以猪粪和玉米秸秆为原料,研究了冬季条垛式堆肥过程中翻堆和覆盖作用对温室气体和氨气排放的影响。试验结果表明,在冬季堆肥高温期能维持2周以上,达到良好的卫生化效果;而在腐熟期堆体温度迅速下降,微生物活性停滞,堆肥腐熟进程受抑制。初始总有机碳的0.14%～0.76%以CH4损失,NH3和N2O的挥发则分别占到了初始总氮的10.3%～29.5%和0.81%～3.93%。数据分析结果显示,翻堆能够显著减少堆肥化过程中N2O和CH4排放,但增加NH3的排放。覆盖能够减少NH3的挥发,增加甲烷的排放,对N2O排放的影响不显著。     

外源微生物对堆肥理化性质及酶活影响的研究

利用牛粪和稻草为原料进行堆肥实验,通过测定堆肥过程中的温度、含水率等物理、化学指标以及酶活性的变化,研究了接种外源微生物对堆肥过程的影响。结果表明,接种外源微生物比对照提前2d达到高温期,并且维持时间长。大肠杆菌数量及植物毒性比不接种大幅度降低,纤维素酶、脲酶、多酚氧化酶、过氧化氢酶均有所增加。说明接种外源微生物可以使堆肥中微生物数量增多,加速堆料中有机物的分解,加快堆肥腐熟,缩短堆肥反应的进程,对优化堆肥工艺具有重要的意义。     

添加木质素降解菌对堆肥中酶活性的影响

以奶牛粪便和稻草为堆腐材料,采用静态好氧堆肥的方式研究接种木质素降解菌对堆肥过程中的温度、pH等理化性质以及木质素降解酶活性动态变化的特征,从生物酶学角度考察人工接入外源菌剂对堆肥的影响。结果表明,接菌后的堆肥处理较CK早2 d进入高温期,并且维持时间多于CK 12 d。发酵前8 d pH值的上升幅度大且高于CK,而且接种处理比对照的C/N提前5 d达到20∶1,提早达到腐熟指标,加快堆肥腐熟化进程。堆肥中酶活分析结果表明,加入菌剂后,β-葡萄糖苷水解酶在堆置第6 d达到第一个峰值14.7μmol,较CK早6 d;羧甲基纤维素钠酶在第12 d达到峰值3 270 U,同比CK高出1 220 U;漆酶酶活峰值高达93.5U,而CK峰值只有82.8 U;锰过氧化物酶进入高温期后酶活最高为75.25 U,CK最高为54.8 U。由此可见,加入微生物菌剂后可使相关酶活性提高并提高堆体温度,加快堆肥腐熟,加速堆料中各种有机质的降解,提高微生物对底物的利用,从而提高好氧堆肥的效率。     

翻堆与覆盖工艺对猪粪秸秆堆肥性质的影响

为了解翻堆与覆盖工艺对堆肥过程及堆肥理化性质的影响,开展了70天的猪粪、秸秆冬季室外半敞开式自然通风堆肥试验.试验共设计6个处理,分别为翻堆频率1周1次、2周1次、不翻堆.每个翻堆处理均设覆盖和不覆盖2种方式.经过对多个指标测定和方差分析,结果表明:翻堆工艺在加快堆体物料减量化(P=0.0001),加快堆体升温(P=0.0000)和有机质(TOM)降解(P=0.0080)方面影响极显著,并显著提高发芽率(GI) (P=0.0330),但同时导致氨气(NH3)的大量挥发,造成更多氮素(TN)损失(P=0.0190).不同翻堆频率的处理在物料减量化、pH值、电导率(EC)、有机质降解率和发芽率指数方面差异不显著,而翻堆1周1次极显著缩短高温期(P=0.0000),显著加速氨气排放(P=0.0190).覆盖可延长高温期(P=0.0001),当翻堆频率为2周1次和不翻堆时覆盖显著减少氨气挥发和氮素损失(P=0.0130),但同时减慢堆肥腐熟进程.综合考虑环境、经济因素后认为:不覆盖,翻堆频率为2周1次的条件下冬季室外自然通风堆肥效果最好.研究结果可为中小犁企业冬季堆肥化生产提供参考.     

不同填充料对猪粪堆肥腐熟过程的影响

采用稻草、木屑、粉煤灰、树叶为猪粪堆肥的填充料,研究了不同填充料与猪粪混合堆肥的温度、总氮、NH4 N、NO3- N、水溶性有机碳(DOC)和种子发芽系数随时间的变化规律。结果发现,稻草在堆肥过程中很容易腐烂和结块,不宜单独用作猪粪堆肥的填充料;稻草 粉煤灰或树叶 木屑作为填充料加入猪粪混合堆肥中可改善堆肥物料的物理性质,减少物料的结块现象,促进NH4 N向NO3- N转化,有利于水溶有机碳的分解,提高种子发芽率,促进堆肥的腐熟。     

Effects of aeration and moisture during windrow composting on the nitrogen fertilizer values of dairy waste composts

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of turning and moisture addition during windrow composting on the N fertilizer values of dairy waste composts. Composted-dairy wastes were sampled from windrow piles, which received four treatments in a 2×2 factorial of turning (turning vs. no turning) and moisture addition (watering vs. no watering) at two stages of maturity (mature vs. immature). Composts were characterized for their chemical properties. An 84-day laboratory incubation of soils with addition of the composts at two levels was conducted to evaluate the inorganic N accumulation patterns from the variously treated composts. Chemical analyses of variously treated composts did not differ between compost treatments or maturity. In contrast, the inorganic N accumulation patterns differed between soils that received immature versus mature turned composted-dairy wastes. The results suggested that turning was a more important factor than moisture addition affecting the composting process. There was no significant difference in inorganic N accumulation patterns among soils that received different immature composts, while the N accumulation patterns observed for soils that received different mature composts depended on compost treatments. Soils amended with mature composts treated by frequent turning had higher N mineralization potentials (N₀), mineralization rate constants (K), and initial potential rates (N₀K) in comparison to soils with composts that had not been turned. Soils with mature composts treated by watering had a higher N₀, lower K, and therefore similar N₀K when compared to soils with composts that had not been watered. Soils that received mature composts treated by watering and frequent turning had higher N mineralization potentials and N₀ to total organic N ratios than soil alone, which suggested that intensive management of composting would ensure positive N fertilizer values of dairy waste composts, if the appropriate composting duration is completed.     

Compost Maturity Assessment Using Calorimetry,Spectroscopy and Chemical Analysis

This work is aimed at characterizing compost maturity and, organic matter transformation during this process, by the use of nondestructive spectroscopic and thermal techniques, together with some chemical analysis. Composting was conducted in a laboratory over a period of one year using the organic fraction of domestic wastes, fresh farmyard manure, spent coffee and sawdust as the raw materials. Samples were retired after different periods of composting and were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by routine chemical parameters including temperature, pH, C/N, ash content and humic-like substances content. Results showed that in case of domestic wastes, spent coffee and farmyard manure, the C/N ratios, ash and humic acid content showed a typical high rate of change during the first 197 days of composting and tended to stabilize thereafter, probably as a result of the maturity of the produced composts. In contrast, sawdust underwent only a very limited transformation even after one year of composting. Thermoanalytical and spectroscopic data confirms these finding and gives useful and complementary information with respect to the structure, the heterogeneity and the relative stability of the compost products. In particular, as the decomposition proceeded, there was an increase in aromatic to aliphatic structure ratio and a decrease in the importance of peptide structures of composts. Besides, both the spectroscopic and the thermal behavior of compost samples, retired beyond 197 days of composting, tended to be regular, less dependent on the raw material and close to that characterizing mature composts, with the exception of sawdust samples. We concluded that the spectroscopic and thermal techniques used are complementary to one another and to chemical tests and could be a powerful and fast approach for the study of compost maturity.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Availability in Groundfish Waste and Chitin-Sludge Cocomposts

Seafood processing generates a substantial volume of wastes. This study examined the feasibility of converting the fish waste into useful fertilizer by composting. Groundfish waste and chitin sludge generated from the production of chitin were composted with red alder or a mixture of western hemlock and Douglas-fir sawdust to produce four composts: alder with groundfish waste (AGF); hemlock/fir with groundfish waste (HGF); alder with chitin sludge (ACS); and hemlock/fir with chitin sludge (HCS). The resulting AGF had a higher total N and a lower C:N ratio than the other three composts. A large portion of the total N in the AGF, HGF, and HCS composts was in inorganic forms (NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^?-N), as opposed to only two percent in the ACS compost. Alder sawdust is more quickly decomposed, which favored N retention and limited nitrification during the composting period. It was less favorable than the hemlock/Douglas fir sawdust for composting with chitin sludge. Corn growth on soil amended with compost was dependent upon both compost type and rate. Nitrogen and P availabilities in all composts except the ACS were high and compost addition enhanced corn yields, tissue N and P concentrations, and N and P up-take. Neither the total N concentration nor the C:N ratio of the composts was an effective measure of compost N availability in the soil. Because soil inorganic N test levels correlated well with the corn biomass, tissue N and N uptake, they should be an effective measure of the overall compost effects on soil N availability and corn growth response. Phosphorus concentration, which increased linearly with increasing compost rates, was related to soil P availability from compost additions and correlated well with corn biomass, tissue P concentration and P uptake under uniform treatments of N and K fertilizers. Composting groundfish waste with alder or hemlock/Douglas-fir sawdust can produce composts with sufficient amounts of available N and P to promote plant growth and is considered to be a viable approach for recycling and utilizing groundfish waste.     

添加酸解氨基酸对植物源废弃物好氧堆肥品质及其应用效果的影响

  【目的】  探究添加酸解氨基酸 (AA) 对不同植物源废弃物堆肥进程、氮素损失阻控、堆肥品质和产品效果的影响。  【方法】  分别向3种含碳量不同的植物源废弃物 (中药渣、木薯渣和蘑菇渣) 中添加5%、10%和15% (体积质量比) 的酸解氨基酸,以不添加酸解氨基酸处理作为对照,监测堆肥过程中的温度和理化指标。堆肥结束后,以辣椒和茄子作为供试作物进行盆栽和大田试验。盆栽试验以不施肥和施化肥为对照,试验处理包括9个堆肥产品及其添加促生菌 (解淀粉芽孢杆菌SQR9) 制备的生物有机肥产品,共24个,调查了不同处理辣椒和茄子的生物量和生理指标。田间试验以不施肥和施化肥为对照,以盆栽效果最佳的堆肥产品及其制备的生物有机肥单施、两个产品分别与化肥配合,共14个处理,调查了辣椒和茄子的生长状况。  【结果】  添加酸解氨基酸延长了中药渣和木薯渣堆肥的高温期持续时间,而蘑菇渣堆肥的高温期持续时间随酸解氨基酸添加量的增加而减少。酸解氨基酸加入后,3种原料堆体的pH均有所下降,且整体上酸解氨基酸添加量越多,pH下降越显著。酸解氨基酸明显促进了3种原料堆肥中纤维素、半纤维素和总碳的分解,且促进效果和氮磷钾养分积累量随着酸解氨基酸添加量的增加而提高。此外,酸解氨基酸加入后由于引入H+,使堆体的电导率有小幅上升。盆栽试验表明,3种有机物料堆肥均以添加10% AA制成的有机肥最佳,且能显著提高辣椒植株的鲜重、干重、株高、茎粗和叶绿素含量,添加促生菌后进一步提高了堆肥的效果。以10% AA处理的有机肥及其生物有机肥进行大田试验,中药渣有机肥中,生物有机肥处理为辣椒田间处理最佳,生物有机肥加化肥处理为茄子田间处理最佳;木薯渣有机肥处理中,生物有机肥处理在辣椒和茄子田间试验中均为最佳处理;蘑菇渣有机肥处理,生物有机肥加化肥处理在辣椒和茄子大田试验中各项指标均为最优;表明10% AA处理的有机肥配合功能菌株施用能促进作物生长、提高作物产量,整体效果显著优于空白和化肥处理。  【结论】  添加酸解氨基酸能够降低堆肥pH,减少堆肥过程中的氮素损失,延长堆肥高温期的持续时间,提高有机碳降解效率及氮磷钾相对含量;该堆肥与功能菌株配伍制成的生物有机肥,与等养分化肥处理相比,可以显著提高作物的生物量和产量。     

Mass and Nutrient Losses During the Composting Of Dairy Manure Amended with Sawdust or Straw

Composting has become an increasingly popular manure management method for dairy farmers. However, the design of composting systems for farmers has been hindered by the limited amount of information on the quantities and volumes of compost produced relative to farm size and manure generated, and the impact of amendments on water, dry matter, volume and nitrogen losses during the composting process. Amendment type can affect the free air space, decomposition rate, temperature, C:N ratio and oxygen levels during composting. Amendments also initially increase the amount of material that must be handled. A better understanding of amendment effects should help farmers optimize, and potentially reduce costs associated with composting. In this study, freestall dairy manure (83% moisture) was amended with either hardwood sawdust or straw and composted for 110-155 days in turned windrows in four replicated trials that began on different dates. Initial C:N ratios of the windrows ranged from 25:1 to 50:1 due to variations in the source and N-content of the manure. Results showed that starting windrow volume for straw amended composts was 2.1 to 2.6 times greater than for sawdust amendment. Straw amended composts had low initial bulk densities with high free air space values of 75-93%. This led to lower temperatures and near ambient interstitial oxygen concentrations during composting. While all sawdust-amended composts self-heated to temperatures >55°C within 10 days, maintained these levels for more than 60 days and met EPA and USDA pathogen reduction guidelines, only two of the four straw amended windrows reached 55°C and none met the guidelines. In addition, sawdust amendment resulted in much lower windrow oxygen concentrations (< 5%) during the first 60 days. Both types of compost were stable after 100 days as indicated by CO₂ evolution rates <0.5 mg CO₂-C/g VS/d. Both types of amendments also led to extensive manure volume and weight reductions even after the weight of the added amendments were considered. However, moisture management proved critical in attaining reductions in manure weight during composting. Straw amendment resulted in greater volume decreases than sawdust amendment due to greater changes in bulk density and free air space. Through composting, farmers can reduce the volume and weights of material to be hauled by 50 to 80% based on equivalent nitrogen values of the stabilized compost as compared to unamended, uncomposted dairy manure. The initial total manure nitrogen lost during composting ranged from 7% to 38%. P and K losses were from 14 to 39% and from 1 to 38%, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between C:N ratio and nitrogen loss (R₂=0.78) and carbon loss (R₂=0.86) during composting. An initial C:N ratio of greater than 40 is recommended to minimize nitrogen loss during dairy manure composting with sawdust or straw amendments.     

Fate of nitrogen derived from 15N-labeled plant residues and composts in rice-planted paddy soil

Pot experiments that lasted for 3 y were conducted to investigate the dynamics of nitrogen derived from plant residues (rice root, hull, straw, corn root, and rapeseed pod-wall), and composts (rice straw compost, cattle manure compost, and cattle manure sawdust compost), which were labeled with ¹⁵N. The rates of nitrogen uptake by rice (=N efficiency), denitrification, and immobilization derived from the organic materials incorporated before the first year of cultivation were investigated throughout 3 y of cultivation. At the end of the first year of cultivation, relatively high rates of N efficiency were obtained for rapeseed pod-wall (24.6%), rice straw (19.1%), and rice hull (18.6%), while corn root and cattle manure sawdust compost displayed a noticeably high denitrification rate. Corn root, cattle manure sawdust compost, rice hull, and rapeseed pod-wall exhibited remarkably high N mineralization rates ranging from 60 to 75% of the organic materials N applied. Cumulative rates of N efficiencies from the organic materials applied before the first year of cultivation fitted well to a first-order kinetic model and their asymptotes were compared among the organic materials. The asymptotic rates of N efficiency tended to depend on the rates at the end of the first year of cultivation.     

Relating Compost Measures of Stability And Maturity to Plant Growth

Assessment of compost maturity is important for successful use of composts in agricultural and horticultural production. We assessed the “maturity” of four different sawdust-based composts. We composted sawdust with either cannery waste (CW), duck manure (DM), dairy (heifer) manure (HM) or potato culls (PC) for approximately one year. Windrows were turned weekly for the first 60 days of composting, covered for four winter months and then turned monthly for six more months. We measured compost microbial respiration (CO₂ loss), total C and N, C:N ratio, water soluble NO₃-N and NH₄-N, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH and electrical conductivity at selected dates over 370 days. Compost effects on ryegrass biomass and N uptake were evaluated in a greenhouse study. We related compost variables to ryegrass growth and N uptake using regression analysis. All composts maintained high respiration rates during the first 60 days of composting. Ammonium-N concentrations declined within the first 60 days of composting, while NO₃-N concentrations did not increase until 200+ days. After 250+ days, DM and PC composts produced significantly more ryegrass biomass than either CW or HM composts. Total C, microbial respiration and water-extractable NO₃-N were good predictors of compost stability/maturity, or compost resistance to change, while dissolved organic carbon, C:N ratio and EC were not. The compost NO₃-N/CO₂-C ratio was calculated as a parameter reflecting the increase in net N mineralization and the decrease in respiration rate. At ratio values >8 mg NO₃-N/mg CO₂-C/day, ryegrass growth and N uptake were at their maximum for three of the four composts, suggesting the ratio has potential as a useful index of compost maturity.     

The Effect of Different C/N Ratios on the Composting of Pig Manure and Edible Fungus Residue with Rice Bran

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of initial C/N ratio (16.3, 19.1, 24.1, and 29.6) on decomposition rate and nitrogen loss during the composting of pig manure and edible fungus residue with rice bran. The results showed that all composting piles reached a temperature greater than 55°C for at least 7 days (which meets the requirements for destroying pathogens), and the maturity times of composts with low initial C/N ratios were shorter than in composts with high initial C/N ratios. The nitrogen loss in the composting pile with initial C/N of 16.3 was significantly higher than the other treatments. Furthermore, the statistics analysis showed that the initial C/N ratios of the composts, which varied from 16.3 to 29.6, had a significant negative linear correlation with the loss of total organic matter (R = ?0.9661) and loss of total nitrogen (R = ?0.9365). Therefore, for treating more agricultural wastes and achieving high-quality final product as well as the reduction of nitrogen losses, this study recommends that initial C/N ratios ranging from 20 to 25 are suitable for composting pig manure and edible fungus residue.

Highlight:

Various agricultural wastes can be successfully composted with initial C/N ratios 16:1–30:1.

Nitrogen loss had a significant linear negative correlation with the initial C/N ratio.

Compost with a low C/N ratio was beneficial to dispose of more pig manure since reducing the addition of carbon materials.     

稻壳及硅烷添加量对木塑复合材料力学性能的影响

采用一步法连续挤出技术将稻壳粉和聚乙烯进行熔融复合制备复合材料,用硅烷作为偶联剂,研究了稻壳粉与硅烷添加量对复合材料力学性能的影响。实验结果表明：稻壳和硅烷添加量对复合材料界面有很大影响,复合材料的冲击强度、弯曲强度以及抗拉强度随稻壳添加量的增加而明显下降。添加适量的偶联剂可以改善复合材料界面相容性和稻壳在复合体系中分散均匀性,从而改善力学性能。     

Changes in maturity indicators during the degradation of organic wastes subjected to simple composting procedures

Selected maturity indicators were monitored over a period of 335 days during the degradation of organic wastes subjected to four simple composting procedures, which varied in raw material (garden refuse with and without market refuse) and turning frequency (0×, 6×). All procedures produced mature composts. The inclusion of market refuse and frequent turning generally increased the cation exchange capacity of compost on an ash-free basis. Until day 118 of the composting process, compost samples which contained market refuse in their raw material mixture had the lowest redox potentials after anaerobic incubation. Cress grown on these composts also produced the lowest fresh mass. At a later stage of the composting process, the same composts displayed increased cellulolytic activity. Frequent turning of the compost heaps resulted in greater fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, a greater occurrence of low-molecular-weight humic compounds and, occasionally, an inhibition of cellulolytic activity. The arginine ammonification assay gave information on the N-status of the composts, rather than on the compost maturity, and suggested that all the composts could be safely applied to soil with no risk of microbial immobilisation of soil N.