Evaluation of the maturity of municipal waste compost using simple chemical parameters

Abstract

Changes in different chemical parameters of the mixtures of several organic residues during composting were studied in order to establish simple parameters that can be useful as indices of compost maturity. Circular chromatography test and the study of the colour in solid samples of compost cannot be considered sufficiently reliable for determining the degree of maturity in composts. Similarly, parameters such as ash, C/N ratio, CEC, total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) must be ruled out. Other parameters such as water soluble carbon (WSC), water soluble carbohydrates, the C/N ratio of the water soluble extract, and the ratios WSC/TN and CEC/TOC, can be used as indices of compost maturity.