1. Post-digestate composting benefits and the role of enzyme activity to predict trace element immobilization and compost maturity.
- Author
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Gurmessa B, Cocco S, Ashworth AJ, Foppa Pedretti E, Ilari A, Cardelli V, Fornasier F, Ruello ML, and Corti G
- Subjects
- Fertilizers analysis, Silage, Soil, Composting, Trace Elements
- Abstract
The current study evaluated the quality of agricultural waste digestate by composting or co-composting with biogas feedstock (maize silage, food processing waste, or poultry litter). Temperature, phytotoxicity, C/N ratio, water extractable trace elements, and 14 enzyme activities were monitored. Temperature dropped earlier in digestate and maize silage co-composting pile, reducing time to maturity by 20 days. Composting and co-composting reduced phytotoxicity and C/N ratio, but increased immobilization of Al, Ba, Fe, Zn, and Mn at least by 40% in all piles. All the enzyme activities, except arylsulfatase and α-glucosidase, increased at the maturity phase and negatively correlated with organic matter content and most of trace elements. Post-digestate composting or co-composting with biogas feedstock is a promising strategy to improve digestate quality for fertilizer use, and selected enzyme activities can be indicators of compost maturity and immobilization of trace elements., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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