Evaluation of maturity and stability parameters of composts prepared from farm wastes

A composting experiment was carried out to study changes in physical [color, odor, temperature, organic matter (OM) loss], chemical [C:N ratio, water-soluble organic carbon (C_w):organic N (N_org) ratio, NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^?-N, humic acid (HA):fulvic acid (FA) ratio, humification index (HI) and cation-exchange capacity (CEC):total organic carbon (TOC) ratio)] and biological [seed germination index (GI)] parameters to assess compost maturity and stability over a period of 150 days. Five composts were prepared using a mixture of different farm wastes with or without enrichment of N, rock phosphate (RP) and microorganism (MO) inoculation. All the composts appeared to change to a granular and dark grey color without foul odor, and attained a constant temperature with no measurable changes (ambient level) at 120 days of composting. Correlation analysis showed that the optimal values of the selected parameters for our experimental conditions are as follows: organic matter loss > 42%, C:N ratio < 15, HA:FA ratio > 1.9, HI > 30%, CEC:TOC ratio > 1.7 and C_w:N_org ratio < 0.55. Composts enriched with N + RP or N + RP + MO matured at 150 and 120 days, respectively, whereas composts without any enrichment or enrichment with N or RP + MO did not mature even at 150 days of composting.     

The Effects of Goat Manure,Sewage Sludge And Effective Microorganisms on the Composting of Pine Bark

This study investigated the cocomposting of pine bark with goat manure or sewage sludge, with or without inoculated effective microorganisms (EM). Composting was done for 90 days and parameters monitored over this period included temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), C/N ratio, inorganic N, as well as tannin content. Changes in temperature, pH and EC during composting were consistent with those generally observed with other composting systems. The parameters were influenced by the feedstock materials used but were not affected by inoculation with effective microorganisms. The highest temperature measured from pine bark-goat manure composts was 60°C but much lower maximum temperatures of 40°C and 30°C were observed for pine bark sewage sludge and pine bark alone composts, respectively. The C/N ratios of the composts decreased with composting time. Ammonium levels decreased while nitrate levels increased with composting time. Tannin levels generally decreased with composting time but the extent of decrease depended on the contents of the composting mixtures. The trends observed showed that temperature, pH, EC, C/N ratio, tannin levels, and inorganic NH₄-N and NO₃-N were reliable parameters for monitoring the co-composting of pine bark with goat manure or sewage sludge. The pine bark-goat manure compost had more desirable nutritional properties than the pine bark and pine bark-sewage sludge composts. It had high CEC, near neutral pH, low C/N ratio, and high amounts of inorganic N and bases (K, Ca, and Mg) while pine bark compost had the least amounts of nutrients, was acidic, and had high C/N ratio and low CEC. The final tannin content of the pine bark-goat manure compost was below the 20 g/kg upper threshold level for horticultural potting media, implying that its use as a growing medium would not cause toxicity to plants.     

调节C/N及添加菌剂与木酢液对园林绿化废弃物堆肥效果的影响

为探究C/N、菌剂、木酢液3因子及菌剂与木酢液交互作用对堆肥腐熟效果的影响,寻求最佳堆肥效果的因子水平组合。本研究以园林绿化废弃物为主要原料,通过L9（34）正交设计以鸡粪为C/N调理剂,菌剂和木酢液为添加剂进行堆肥试验。分析比较了各处理堆肥过程中温度、总有机碳、全氮、C/N、pH值、EC值、堆体体积等指标的变化情况,并以种子发芽率试验测定堆肥效果。结果表明,调节C/N比和添加适量菌剂与木酢液均能促使堆肥初温上升,高温期提前并延长,堆肥积温提高,发酵周期缩短,总有机碳降解量和总氮相对含量增加。适当调节C/N和添加适量菌剂均有利于堆肥pH值升高,防止EC值过高,而添加木酢液能明显降低堆肥pH与EC值。C/N、菌剂、木酢液、菌剂与木酢液交互作用对堆肥发芽指数的影响均达极显著水平,且影响效果表现为C/N菌剂木酢液。因素效应的差异显著性检验结果表明,C/N为30效果最好,0.4%菌剂与稀释500倍木酢液的交互作用最大,稀释50倍的木酢液对堆肥微生物活性存在一定的抑制作用。可见,基于种子发芽指数的园林绿化废物堆肥适宜参数组合为C/N30+0.4%菌剂+稀释500倍木酢液。     

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.     

Phytotoxicity evaluation and response of wheat to agro-industrial waste composts

A greenhouse experiment was conducted in loamy sand soil to compare the effects of agro-industrial waste composts on yield and nutrient uptake by wheat. The raw materials of agro-industrial wastes and chemical fertilizers were used as controls. The yields were significantly higher with agro-industrial waste composts compared with their raw materials. Compost-fertilized grain yields were increased by 118% with poultry waste compost and by 97% with chemical fertilizes compared with unfertilized control. Agro-industrial waste composts applied with NK (recommended dose) fertilizers, except distillery effluent compost, produced a wheat grain yield comparable with that obtained with NPK (recommended dose) fertilizers, indicating a net saving of 100% of P fertilizer. Application of agro-industrial waste composts significantly increased NPK uptake by wheat and improved the post-harvest NPK status of soil compared with addition of their raw materials. Up to 60 days of composting, severe suppression of tomato seed germination was observed, which improved thereafter in all the composts. Our results suggest that the germination index >70% may be accepted as an indicator for disappearance of phytotoxic substances.     

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.     

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.     

Compost Production from Olive Tree Pruning Wastes Enriched with Phosphate Rock

Olive production is increasing very fast in the last 20 years in Al-Jouf region, northern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There are now more than 5 million olive trees in the productive stage. A huge amount of waste is produced annually from this sector, including pruning waste of olive trees and solid waste from olive oil mills of three-phase system. The waste of olive used to produce compost could be of safe disposal technique. Disposal of such waste is expensive and it causes some environmental hazards. Rock phosphate (RP), which is available in the same region, can be used to improve the nutrient value of the produced compost. In this experiment olive pruning waste was composted alone and in a mixture with different RP in two different ratios, namely 5% and 10%, on the dry weight basis of olive waste. Compost processing took place on plies for 8 months. Temperature and moisture were monitored daily while periodical samples were taken from all piles for testing pH, EC, C/N, and germination index. Composts in all treatments reached the theomorphic phase, which killed weed seeds and pathogens. The produced compost from all treatments fulfilled the requirements of maturity according to the California Compost Quality Council after 8 months of composting. In addition, the RP enhanced composting efficiency and improved the quality of the produced compost. Compost parameters met the standard requirements for the compost that was suitable for agriculture purposes with average values of pH ranging from (7.02–7.65) and EC (2.20–3.94 dS m^?1). Nutrient concentrations in the produced compost were N (1.28–1.79%), P (0.23–2.15%), and K (2.59–4.22%).     

Abstracts of nippon Dojyohiryogaku Zasshi

Color change of city refuse during composting process was investigated according to the methods of measurement for color of materials based on the CIE 1931 Standard Colorimetric System. Stimulus value Y (the degree of lightness) and chromaticity coordinates (x, y) were determined with Color Analyzer by measuring relative spectral reflectance. Stimulus value Y of city refuse decreased during composting process, but chromaticity coordinates (x, y) scarcely changed.

Color of various composts, which were produced from city refuse, straw, hog fecal wastes, tree bark, and tree bark mixed with activated sludge, were also investigated by measuring relative spectral reflectance. The shapes of the reflection spectra of city refuse were different from those of the other composts. Colors of the various composts were similar to each other when specified according to their three attributes: value, hue, and chroma (Munsell renotation).

While city refuse was rotting and maturing, stimulus value Yand C/N ratio equally decreased. A positive correlation was found between stimulus value Y and C/N ratio. It was concluded that stimulus value Y can be used as a criterion for determining the degree of maturity of city refuse compost.

The correlation between stimulus value Y and C/N ratio of various composts was also investigated. According to the position on the two coordinates having stimulus value Y and C/N ratio as axe s, various composts were classified into three groups: (i) city refuse compost group, (ii) straw compost group, and (iii) tree bark compost group.     

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.     

Assessment of maturity degree of composts from domestic solid wastes by fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies.

Methods of assessment of compost maturity are needed so the application of composted materials to lands will provide optimal benefits. The aim of the present paper is to assess the maturity reached by composts from domestic solid wastes (DSW) prepared under periodic and permanent aeration systems and sampled at different composting time, by means of excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). EEM spectra indicated the presence of two different fluorophores centered, respectively, at Ex/Em wavelength pairs of 330/425 and 280/330 nm. The fluorescence intensities of these peaks were also analyzed, showing trends related to the maturity of composts. The "contour density" of EEM maps appeared to be strongly reduced with composting days. After 30 and 45 days of composting, FT-IR spectra exhibited a decrease of intensity of peaks assigned to polysaccharides and in the aliphatic region. EEM and FT-IR techniques seem to produce spectra that correlate with the degree of maturity of the compost. Further refinement of these techniques should provide a relatively rapid method of assessing the suitability of the compost to land application.     

Comparative Assessment of Enzyme Activities and Characteristics during Composting of Two Types of Composts

Characteristics in composts were determined during composting of chitinous source-amended compost (Cscom) and no chitinous source-amended compost (Ncom). At the end of the composting, moisture content, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (T-N), and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) decreased in both the composts, whereas the phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) content increased. pH of the compost was adversely changed with electrical conductivity (EC). Enzyme activities declined until the end of composting except phosphatase. In the final-stage, Cscom has higher number of chitinolytic bacteria than in Ncom. One bacterium predominant was isolated and identified as Bacillus licheniformis. Growth of the plant pathogens were suppressed by Cscom and Ncom water extracts, with the suppression being higher in Cscom. Paenibacillus ehmensis, known for high antifungal potential, was isolated from Cscom. From our study, it can be concluded that amendment of chitin material improves the chemical, biological properties, and disease suppression ability of compost.     

Carbon and nitrogen transformation during composting of sweet sorghum bagasse

Two types of compost, consisting of sweet sorghum bagasse with either sewage sludge or a mixture of pig slurry and poultry manure, were studied in a pilot plant using the Rutgers system. The total degradation of the piles as determined by the weight loss of organic matter during the bio-oxidative and maturation phases accounted for 64% of the organic matter applied and followed a first-order kinetic function. Concentrations of total and organic N increased during the composting process as the degradation of organic C compounds reduced the compost weight. Losses of N through NH₃ volatilization were low, particularly in the compost with sewage sludge due to pH values of <7.0 and the low temperatures reached in the compost during the first 2 weeks. The C:N ratio in the two composts decreased from 24.0 and 15.4 to values between 12 and 10. Increases in cation exchange capacity and in fulvic and humic acid-like C revealed that the organic matter had been humified during composting. The humification index, the C:N ratio, fulvic:humic acid-like C, and cation exchange capacity proved to be the most suitable parameters for assessing the maturity of these composts.     

End Product Quality and Agronomic Performance of Compost

Washington State University produces a manure-based compost of high pH (>8) and low N content (1 percent) by windrow composting campus wastes. Annual production at the four-acre facility is 18-20,000 cubic yards. In the interest of producing compost of higher N content and lower pH, ten experimental piles were constructed to investigate the effects of different feedstocks on the composting process, end quality and agronomic performance. Biosolids and manure were compared at two rates of bedding both with and without coal ash. Compost temperature and inorganic N content during 96 days of active composting are reported along with end product nutrient analysis and metal concentration. The composts behaved differently based on the N feedstock and level of bedding in the mix. Compost quality was influenced by the characteristics of the feedstocks. Applying the composts to an eroded hilltop (50 Mg/ha) increased winter wheat yield, but there were no differences among the ten composts.     

Compost Maturity Effects on Nitrogen and Carbon Mineralization and Plant Growth

Improved predictive relationships between compost maturity and nitrogen (N) availability are needed. A total of 13 compost samples were collected from a single windrow over a 91 d period. Compost stability and maturity were assessed using both standard chemical analyses (total C and N, mineral N, total volatile solids) and other methods (CO₂ evolution, commercial maturity kits, and neutral detergent fiber, and lignin). Compost N and carbon (C) were evaluated during a 130 d aerobic incubation in a sandy loam soil after each compost was applied at 200 mg total kg^?1 soil. The effect of compost maturity on plant growth was evaluated by growing two ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) crops and one barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop in succession in compost-amended soil under greenhouse conditions. Potential phytotoxicity from compost was assessed by growing tomato (Lypersicum esculentum L.) seedlings in compost-amended soil. Regression and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between compost maturity parameters, the rate and extent of net N and C mineralization, plant yield and N uptake, and phytotoxicity. Commonly used maturity parameters like total C, total N, and C:N ratio were poorly correlated with the rate and extent of mineralization, and with plant growth parameters. The N mineralization rate during the first 48 d of aerobic incubation was strongly correlated (r= ?0.82 to ?0.86) to compost fiber and lignin concentration, and to the Maturity Index (r=0.85). Trends in C mineralization were similar. There were few differences in C mineralization between composts after 48 d of aerobic incubation in soil. Ryegrass harvested 35 and 70 d after compost application was not strongly affected by compost maturity, and relatively immature composts were phytotoxic to tomato seedlings. Methods of characterizing compost maturity and stability that more realistically reflect the composting process are better predictors of N release and potential plant inhibition after incorporation into soil.     

Chemical,Physical and Biological Criteria for Maturity in Composts for Organic Farming

Properties of organic farming composts were examined during the composting process: pH, electrical conductivity, C/N ratio, total N content, NH₄₊ content, NO_3?content, ash content, and organic matter content. In addition to these properties the respiration rate, microbial population counts, hydrolysis of Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA) and the activity of the enzyme amidase were studied. Composts at several stages of maturity were incubated in soil, and their N mineralization rates were measured. The end of the thermophilic stage was characterized by irreversible decrease in pile temperature to under 55°C, followed by stabilization of the chemical properties. This stage in the composting process is also characterized by decrease in CO₂ evolution rate, changes in microbial populations and specific patterns in FDA hydrolysis and amidase activity. Based on this evidence, we suggest that biological parameters can be considered as indicators for compost maturity.     

生活垃圾堆肥过程中有机态氮形态的动态变化

利用接种不同外源微生物进行城市生活垃圾的堆肥试验,研究在堆肥过程中不同形态有机态氮组分的变化规律。结果表明,随着堆肥的进行,全氮与酸水解性氮含量均呈下降的趋势,其中外源微生物处理能加速全氮与酸水解性氮含量的降低,但至堆肥结束时,与不加外源微生物处理相比,并没有引起氮素的损失。氨基酸态氮含量则呈现先降低后增加的趋势,堆肥结束时,外源微生物处理氨基酸态氮含量明显高于不加微生物处理,表明外源微生物处理可促进氨基酸态的形成;酰胺态氮与氨基糖态氮含量有相同的变化趋势,各处理都是在堆肥的升温期、高温期增加,随着堆肥温度的下降而降低,在堆肥的腐熟阶段,则呈现较为平稳的走势。但相对于堆肥的不同时期,由于处理不同,酰胺态氮与氨基糖态氮含量有明显的差异,其中外源微生物处理酰胺态氮含量明显低于不加微生物处理,而氨基糖态氮则相反。     

Compositional Changes in Composts During Composting and Mushroom Growth: Comparison of Conventional and Environmentally Controlled Composts from Commercial Farms

Samples from conventional and environmentally controlled (EC) composts taken at various stages of composting and mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) growth were analyzed for changes in 80 percent ethanol and water extracts, monosaccharides in acid hydrolysates of polysaccharides, lignin concentrations and lignin structural features. The relative lignin content of all composts as measured by the acetyl bromide procedure increased, both during composting and mushroom growth. On the assumption that the absolute amount of lignin remains unaltered during composting and mushroom growth, the relative changes to the polysaccharide concentrations were calculated. Thus, during composting, 70, 53 and 58 percent of the initial wall polysaccharides for conventional, “cold” and “hot” EC, respectively, were consumed by compost microorganisms. During spawn running and fruiting, about 15 percent of wall polysaccharides were utilized from all types of composts. Thus, considerable amounts (17–31 percent) of polysaccharide remained at the end of mushroom production. During composting, there were changes in the degree of condensation and in the extent of oxidation of the lignins in all cases, but the rate and extent of these changes was dependent on the different composting regimes. During mushroom growth, further changes occurred, again with different patterns for the different compost types.