Modification of Soil Water Retention and Biological Properties by Municipal Solid Waste Compost

A compost originating from the organic fraction of MSW, separately collected, was added to a loamy soil at different application rates. Modifications of soil physical and biological properties were studied after compost addition. Water retention properties, after compost addition to soil, were monitored. Organic carbon mineralization was followed during a six-month incubation. Enzyme activities were assayed immediately after compost addition, as well as after incubation of soil-compost mixtures. These properties provided information about the modification of overall microbiological activity and specific nutrient cycles in the amended soil. Water retention, carbon mineralization and most enzyme activities after incubation were increased by compost incorporation. The additivity or nonadditivity of compost effects on soil properties was discussed.     

Changes in Chemical,Physical and Biological Properties Of Passively-Aerated Cocomposted Poultry Litter And Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Cocomposting of poultry litter with municipal solid waste compost (MSW) was evaluated as a means to stabilize nitrogen and phosphorus in poultry litter and to produce a stable organic soil amendment. Four passively aerated compost piles were established by mixing fixed weight ratios of MSW and composted poultry litter (21:1, 6:1, 3:1, 1:1); moisture was adjusted to 50 percent by weight at pile establishment. These ratios represented a range of initial C:N (26-12) and C:P (150-50) ratios. Composting process parameters monitored over eight months included temperature, oxygen and moisture contents, pH, electrical conductivity, C:N:P ratios, microbial respiration and diversity. Initial feedstock ratios had no significant effect on temperature in the thermophilic phase of composting. After one year of composting, microbial respiration in 21:1 and 6:1 mixtures was high relative to 3:1 and 1:1 mixtures suggesting slow maturation in piles with high MSW content. Salmonella sp. and coliform organisms were detectable for up to 47 days. Results suggest that MSW has potential as a carbon feedstock for poultry litter composting when used in moderate amounts.     

Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on Soil Properties and Vegetables Growth

ABSTRACT

This work investigates the impact of municipal solid waste compost (MSW-compost) application (0, 50, and 100 t/ha) on the growth, and on nutrient and trace elements content in lettuce and tomato plants grown in large, 40-L pots. Our findings showed inhibition of plants’ growth with increasing dose of MSW-compost, compared to plants receiving conventional fertilization. Growth inhibition was associated with a sharp decrease in soil NO₃–N content. On the other hand, a slower decrease in soil NO₃–N content occurred in non-planted pots amended with MSW-compost. These findings provide evidence that N immobilization and/or decreased N mineralization were responsible for inhibited growth by constraining N availability. With regard to the other macro-nutrients, K, P, Mg, Ca, and Fe, their contents in leaves of both crops were maintained at optimum levels. Higher zinc and copper content was measured in leaves of both crops but they did not exceed the optimum range for growth. No accumulation of trace elements was found in the fruits. The content of heavy metals in the tissues of plants grown in MSW-compost amended soil, remained at levels similar to those of the non-amended soil, suggesting that they do not pose a significant risk either for plant growth or public health. The findings of our study suggest that further emphasis should be given on the investigation of the factors regulating N mineralization and availability in order to avoid reductions in crop yield.     

Ameliorative Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on the Biological Quality Of Mediterranean Salt Lake Soil

Different loads of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) were applied to hyper saline salt lake soil under laboratory conditions to monitor biological soil quality. Microbial biomass-C (MBC), catalase, dehydrogenase, urease, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and β-glycosidase activities were analyzed following 14, 30, and 50 days of incubation. In general, MBC and the oxidoreductase and hydrolase enzyme activities were significantly enhanced by addition of MSWC at 20 and 40 t ha^?1 doses, but they decreased at 120 t ha^?1. Overall, the results show that the addition of MSWC to hyper saline soils can improve soil biological quality, in spite of its high salt content, which is an important step in any attempt to use them as biosaline agricultural soils. However, substances such as heavy metals in MSWC could limit the use of compost for this purpose; consequently, analysis of MSWC is recommended prior to its use.     

Effect of A Waste Stream Component on the Agronomic Properties of Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Managing municipal solid waste (MSW) compost for agricultural use requires an understanding of waste stream components and how they affect the value of the finished product. We evaluated the influence of disposable diaper content in MSW compost because of the recent concern of the environmental impact of this product. To determine the potential effect of disposable diapers on MSW compost, the ‘normal’ concentration of soiled, disposable diapers in a waste stream was raised from 2 percent to 8 percent. Previous observations indicated that the diapers disassociated during in-vessel digestion and most of the components could not be distinguished from the primary compost. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of additional diapers on the agricultural value of mature MSW compost. Loamy sand and silt loam soils were amended with MSW compost at a rate of 20 percent. Comparisons between the two composts and their interactions with soil type were made on the basis of water retention characteristics; germination and emergence of corn, soybean, radish and lettuce; and yield and element uptake by corn and lettuce at two moisture regimes. Differences between the compost amended soils suggested that the primary benefits of additional diapers were increased nutrient availability and soil water retention, and the foremost concerns were excess total soluble salts and boron.     

Municipal Tropical Compost: Effects on Crops And Soil Properties

Three kinds of tropical soils (inceptisol, mollisol and oxisol: USDA) were amended with increasing quantities of municipal refuse compost. Prepared mixtures: 0, 1.2, 2.5, 5, 10 and 25.6 percent (by volume) of compost were utilized as growing substract (without mineral fertilizer) in pot vegetation trials including three successive plantations taking corn as the test plant. Plant yields and heavy metal concentrations were determined. Urban compost effects on soil chemical parameters were evaluated. Corn growth had been significantly enhanced by the presence of urban compost showing no toxic effects. However, this fertilizing effect decreases after successive harvestings. Cadmium and lead concentrations in the plants were found to be under detection concentration limits (0.5 and 5.2 ppm respectively). Concentrations of copper and zinc in the plants increased relative to the amounts of urban compost but never reached toxic concentrations.     

Municipal Solid Waste Compost Improves Crop Productivity in Saline-Sodic Soil: A Multivariate Analysis of Soil Chemical Properties and Yield Response

A pot experiment was conducted in sandy clay loam saline-sodic soil to assess the effects of farm yard manure (FYM), municipal solid waste (MSW) composts and gypsum application on nitrate leaching, soil chemical properties and crop productivity under rice-wheat cropping system. It also aims at establishing the correlation between soil phsico-chemical properties and yield response using principle component analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. The MSW was decomposed aerobically, an-aerobically and co-composted. Maximum nitrate leaching was observed during rice (75.9 mg L^?1) and wheat (37.2 mg L^?1) with an-aerobically decomposed MSW as compared with control treatment. Results revealed a decrease in soil pH (?6.95% and ?8.77%), electrical conductivity (EC) (?48.13% and ?51.04%), calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) (?40.30% and ?48.96%), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) (?40.27% and ?45.98%) with an-aerobically decomposed MSW compost during rice and wheat, respectively. In this treatment, organic matter (OM) (93.55% and 121.51%) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (19.31% and 31.79%) were the highest as compared with control treatment during rice and wheat, respectively. Rice and wheat growth were significantly (p≤ 0.05) increased by an-aerobically decomposed MSW followed by co-compost, aerobically decomposed MSW, FYM, gypsum and control. Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficients predicted significant positive correlation of yield with soil OM, and CEC while inverse relationship was observed with EC, pH, CaCO₃, and nitrogen use efficiency. Soil amelioration with organic and gypsum amendments was further confirmed with principal component analysis. This study has proved an-aerobically decomposed MSW as an effective solution for MSW disposal, thereby improving soil chemical properties and crop productivity from sandy clay loam saline-sodic soil.     

The Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Compost And Compost Tea on Mineral Element Uptake And Fruit Quality of Strawberries

Three levels of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) and two application rates of compost tea made with MSWC were applied to strawberries for two years. The highest level of application of MSWC significantly increased the concentrations of most extractable soil mineral elements except for Ni which was increased in the highest compost tea application rate. Despite large differences in soil mineral element concentrations among treatments, plant and fruit uptake were generally unaffected by treatments. Notably however, compost tea applications increased fruit Na levels perhaps due to increased uptake of Na by leaves compared to roots. Generally, the composts and compost teas produced fruit of equal quality in terms of total antioxidant capacity and vitamin C but all treatments failed to provide sufficient N to strawberry plants and all fruit appeared to have leather rot; consequently, yield was decreased.     

Nutrient Release Dynamics in Soils Amended With Municipal Solid Waste Compost in Laboratory Incubations

Two municipal solid waste composts were added to three agricultural soils developed over different parent material (schist, gabbro and granite) and incubated in two laboratory studies, in order to assess the effect of compost addition in the dynamics of soil Ca, Mg, K and P. Soils and mixtures of soil and compost (2.5% dry weight, roughly equivalent to 60 t ha^?1) were incubated at 25°C for three months in a first experiment, and for five months in a second experiment. The concentrations of available Ca, Mg, K and P were determined throughout both experiments. The soils amended with compost always had higher available Ca, Mg and K concentrations than the soils without amendment. The increases were approximately 800 mg kg^?1 for Ca, 30 mg kg^?1 for Mg, and 150 mg kg^?1 for K. Nevertheless, the concentrations of these elements did not increase with time. The available P concentrations were not increased by the addition of compost, an effect which is attributed both to microbial immobilization and to the P-fixation capacity of the soils. Therefore, the expected release of these elements in parallel to compost mineralization was not observed during the experiments, and the only fertilizing effect of the compost was that of their initial input in available forms.     

Non-Composted Municipal Solid Waste Processing Byproduct Effect on Soil Reclamation

ABSTRACT

A new garbage processing technology has been developed that sterilizes and separates inorganic and organic components of municipal solid waste. The non-composted byproduct of this process, Fluff®, has the potential to be utilized as a soil amendment to improve soil conditions in highly degraded soils. A study was initiated to evaluate Fluff as a soil amendment for establishing native grasses on disturbed US Army training lands. The Fluff was incorporated into a sandy loam soil at Fort Benning Military Reservation, GA on two sites: a moderately degraded and a highly degraded soil. The Fluff was incorporated at rates of 0, 18, 36, 72, and 143 Mg ha^{? 1} to assess the effects on soil properties for two growing seasons. The addition of Fluff improved available plant nutrients and soil pH levels at both sites. Also, Fluff reduced the level of soil bulk density and increased soil concentration of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Because no adverse environmental effects were detected and Fluff improved soil physical and nutrient conditions as well as improving perennial grass establishment with increasing application rates, land application of Fluff to degraded US Army training grounds could be considered a viable and beneficial alternative to current waste management practices.     

The Effect Of Municipal Solid Waste Compost Application On Soil Water and Water Stress in Irrigated Corn

Land application of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost increases soil organic matter content and influences soil physical properties. This study was conducted to measure the effect of compost on the water holding capacity of soil and water status in corn (Zea mays L.) from 1993 to 1995. The soil was a Hubbard loamy sand (sandy, mixed, Udorthentic Haploboroll) cropped to irrigated corn at the Sand Plain Research Farm at Becker, MN. Compost treatments on dry weight basis were 0 and 90 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1 from 1993 to 1995, and a one time application at 270 Mg ha^?1 in 1993. The soil moisture retention curves were generated in 1994 and corn leaf water potential and soil bulk density were measured each growing season. Based on water retention curves, the addition of compost increased the water holding capacity of soil without significant increase in the estimated available water. This was contradicted by field measurements which showed that compared to a fertilized control one compost source at the 270 Mg ha^?1 rate in the year of application increased plant water stress by 0.22 MPa, likely due to salt loading. In the year after the application of the 270 Mg ha^?1, two compost sources increased soil water content and corn yield 0.14 cm³ cm^?3 and 0.9 Mg ha^?1 respectively. The yield increase was also associated with a reduction in plant water stress of 0.14 MPa due to one of the compost sources.     

Enzyme Activities as Indicators of Municipal Solid Waste Compost Maturity

Composts of municipal solid waste in a commercial scale facility were assayed for enzymatic activities over time. The main enzymes assayed in this study were alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, endo-cellulase, glucosidase, and lipase (C10). The biomass was measured by using lipid phosphate as a measure of the amount of cellular membranes, and metabolism was measured by the amount of 14_C-acetate incorporated into the lipid phosphate pool. All tests followed steady trends which show promise for use as possible stability and maturity indicators. Cellulase activity appears to be a good indicator of stability. The lipase activity appears to be a good indicator of compost maturity. A simple test strip (Api-Zyme from Api Analytab Products, Plainview, New York) was also used and compared to the standard enzyme assay methods. Api-Zyme and standard methods gave comparable results. The use of specific enzymatic activities presents an inexpensive and fast method, which may be combined with others, to predict a composts' stability and possible maturity status based on microbial activity.     

Fate and Transport of Organic Compounds in Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Four chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), a-chlordane, and bisethylhexyl phthalate (BEHP), were chosen for investigation because of their range of physical/chemical properties and because they have been reported in municipal solid waste compost in the literature. Field studies were performed by applying amended compost, which was spiked with the four chosen organic chemicals, into corn, fescue, and poplar fields in Amana, Iowa.

The Pesticide Root Zone Model II (PRZM II), a U.S. EPA computer code (Dean, et al., 1989), was utilized to predict the potential fate and transport of four chemicals in the unsaturated zone. Model input consisted of meteorological records from nearby weather stations, soil data from the Amana site and laboratory results/literature values of chemical properties.

Results indicate that, due to their relatively low solubility and high hydrophobicity, the chemicals are quite sorptive to the soil/compost mixture and barely migrate vertically in the soil. In five year simulations, the chemicals remained within the rooting zone of the plants and slowly biodegraded. Plant uptakes were relatively small and essentially no leachate reached the groundwater table. Volatilization of PCB and chlordane was significant only for the top soil layer. A field study is being used to verify the modeling results.     

Municipal Solid Waste Compost Application Improves the Negative Impact of Saline Soil in Two Forage Species

Inappropriate utilization of biosolids may adversely impact agrosystem productivity. This article addresses the response of H. vulgare and P. monspeliensis to different doses (0, 100, and 150 t ha^?1) of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost in a greenhouse pot experiment. Plant growth, heavy-metal uptake, gas exchange, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations and photosynthesis parameters were considered. Results showed that compost supply significantly increased shoot and root dry weights of both species, and this was positively correlated with nutrient uptake. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were positively influenced, especially in H. vulgare at rate of 100 t ha^?1. Furthermore, MSW compost application increased net photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (Gs), and water-use efficiency (WUE) in both species. Alternatively, MSW compost amendment increased plant heavy-metal contents but levels remained lower than phytotoxic thresholds. This preliminary study suggests that a MSW supply at moderate doses (100 t ha^?1) could be highly beneficial for plant productivity on saline soils.     

植被复垦对露天煤矿排土场土壤化学及生物学特性的影响

为探讨农牧交错带煤矿排土场不同植被复垦模式对土壤肥力的影响,以黑岱沟露天煤矿排土场不同植被类型(山杏+苜蓿(A1)、杨树+苜蓿(A2)、杨树+沙棘(A3)、杨树+披肩草+苜蓿(A4)、未复垦(CK))土壤为研究对象,通过简单相关分析和通径分析研究浅层(0—20cm)土壤化学性质和酶活性与土壤微生物量间的相关关系,揭示不同植被复垦下土壤微生物量差异的驱动因子,并采用土壤恢复指数(RI)评价不同植被复垦对露天煤矿排土场土壤质量的影响。结果表明:(1)与未复垦(CK)相比,不同植被复垦样地土壤有机质含量、碱解氮含量、土壤酶活性和微生物量均显著增加(p<0.05),但pH无明显变化规律且差异不显著(p>0.05),并且0—10cm明显高于10—20cm土层。(2)土壤微生物量碳、氮与土壤酶活性和有机质含量呈显著或极显著正相关关系,与pH和有效磷含量则均未表现出相关性。由于土壤微生物量碳和氮对有机质含量和蔗糖酶活性变化比较敏感,因此对土壤性质变化具有指示作用。(3)不同植被复垦土壤恢复指数在0—10,10—20cm土层分别表现为A3>A2>A4>A1和A3>A2>A1>A4。因此,杨树+沙棘(A3)和杨树+苜蓿(A2)复垦方式对矿区排土场土壤质量的改善较好。     

Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost and Compost Tea as Fertility Amendments on Growth and Tissue Element Concentration in Container-Grown Tomato

Evaluation of fertility sources for certified organic greenhouse vegetable production is necessary for further industry growth. Two experiments tested the effects of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) and water extract tea made from it on potted greenhouse tomatoes. The first used MSWC alone (two levels) and soil tea drench alone (three application frequencies). The second used MSWC and tea in factorial combination at three levels (0, 1×, and 2×). The greatest yield and leaf tissue potassium (K) were obtained using the greatest level combinations of compost and foliar tea spray, and this was significantly greater than conventional nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizer yield. Tissue magnesium (Mg) was affected by compost because of the antagonism from compost K. Tea increased tissue sodium (Na). No significant differences in heavy-metal tissue concentrations were found between treatments. While MSWC is an effective soil fertility amendment, the benefits of using tea may be increased with more frequent application.     

Redistribution and Availability of Iron,Manganese, Zinc,and Copper in Four Malian Agricultural Soils Amended with Solid Municipal Waste Compost

Abstract

Municipal waste compost can improve the fertility status of tropical soils. The redistribution of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in tropical soils after amendment with solid municipal waste compost was investigated. Four tropical agricultural soils from Mali characterized by poor trace‐element status were amended with compost and incubated for 32 weeks at 35°C. The soil were analyzed at the beginning and the end of the incubation experiment for readily available fractions, organic fractions, and residual fractions as operationally defined by sequential extraction. Readily available Fe increased significantly with compost application in most soils. Readily available Mn was mostly unaffected by compost application. After 32 weeks, readily available Zn had increased, and readily available Cu had decreased. Readily available levels of the elements remained greater than deficiency levels in the compost‐amended soils. Organic fractions of the elements increased after compost addition. The organic fractions and residual forms, depending on the element and the soil, remained constant or increased within the duration of the experiment.     

Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost and Farmyard Manure Application on Heavy‐Metal Uptake in Wheat

The risks related to municipal solid waste compost application in comparison to farmyard manure and mineral fertilizers on durum wheat were investigated on a short‐term experiment. Compost was applied at 40 t ha^?1 and 80 t ha^?1 with or without chemical fertilizers. Analogously, farmyard manure was applied at 40 t ha^?1. Both compost and farmyard manure improved plant growth and nutrient uptake. However, compost amendment showed more effectiveness, especially at 80 t ha^?1. Alternatively, this dose of compost involved an increase of plant copper, cadmium, and zinc concentrations in plant tissues. Metal accumulation did not thwart the enhancement of wheat yield. Furthermore, grain translocation factor reached 1 only in the case of copper; however, it showed a significant decrease following compost application (ranged between 0.57 and 0.69). Bioconcentration factor showed a significant decrease with municipal solid waste compost supply, constituting an internal detoxification mechanism.     

Cost Considerations of Municipal Solid Waste Compost: Production versus Market Price

? As more composting facilities come on line across the United States, and a wider spectrum and greater quantity of organic materials are composted, the need to develop a variety of markets for their end products, i.e., compost or mulch, will become ever more critical to the future growth potential for composting and its success. It is often stated that high quality compost will always find a market. However, the economic implications of producing a high quality compost need to be better understood. Publicly and privately operated composting facilities need to compare the costs for building or improving their composting programs to the associated economic returns, i.e., the increased selling price for their product (or, if the product is not sold, the increased avoided cost for what the compost/mulch product is substituted for) and other economic implications.

The scarcity of published information on the costs of producing marketable compost at U.S. municipal solid waste composting (MSW) facilities is largely due to the minimal experience in producing and marketing these composts in this country. In order to improve both facility operation and compost quality, most facilities that have operated for more than one year are making modifications, particularly in the type of feedstock, front-end process, composting process, and final compost processing. A summary of such changes is presented for nine U.S. plants, but little information is available on the costs of these modifications, nor their impact on compost quality. Information is also presented about the European experience with MSW composting, emphasizing the importance of producing better quality compost, and the need to fully account for the added costs associated with producing a higher quality compost.     

Ryegrass Response to Mineral Fertilization and Organic Amendment with Municipal Solid Waste Compost in Two Tropical Agricultural Soils of Mali

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of mineral fertilization and compost on the growth and chemical composition of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) grown on two Malian agricultural soils coming from Baguinéda, abbreviated as Bgda, (12°23′ S, 7°45′ W) and Gao (16°18′ N, 0°). Treatments included non‐fertilized control, NPK alone, NPK + C₂₅, NPK + C₅₀, NPK + C₁₀₀, PK + C₅₀, NK + C₅₀, NP + C₅₀, K + C₅₀, P + C₅₀, N + C₅₀, and C₅₀ alone, where NPK represents the non modified Hoagland's solution and C₂₅, C₅₀, and C₁₀₀ represent the different rates (25, 50, and 100 T/ha) of compost. Compost and mineral fertilization significantly increased dry matter production. The application of 50 T/ha of compost alone increased the dry matter yield by 10 and 17.5% while mineral nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK) increased yield by 69.7 and 65% for Gao and Bgda, respectively. The combination of compost and mineral NPK (NPK + C₂₅ for Gao and NPK + C₅₀ for Bgda) affected the highest dry matter yield. For both soils, N concentrations in plants increased significantly with compost rate. Phosphorus and K concentrations in plants varied according to the soil. The application of compost increased the uptake of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and potassium (K from both soils). Increases in soil organic carbon, available P, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, K, and pH were observed in treatments receiving compost. Therefore, compost appeared to be a good supplier of nutrients for tropical soils.