A Quantitative Respirometric Method for Monitoring Compost Stability |
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| Authors: | DA Iannotti T Pang BL Toth DL Elwell HM Keener HAJ Hoitink |
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| Institution: | 1. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Research Assistant and Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University/Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio;2. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Senior Researcher and Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering, The Ohio State University/Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio |
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| Abstract: | Compost stability was quantified using dissolved oxygen (D. O.) respirometry during composting of municipal solid waste (MSW) in a pilot-scale system. Changes in stability of samples taken at various times during the composting process were verified with chemical and physical tests. Rates of change of oxygen level in air over a compost sample incubated in a flask at 37°C were converted to a rate of O2 uptake/(g volatile solids · hour). Oxygen uptake, determined with D. O. respirometry and converted to rates of dry matter loss, was correlated with actual rates, calculated from energy balances observed in the pilot-scale system. The method can be used either as a simple quality control measure or in a more complex way to calculate rates so that efficiency within or among composting facilities can be compared. |
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