Variations in the composting process for different organic carbon sources

• Published in: Agricultural wastes Vol. 2; no. 3; pp. 215 - 223
• Main Authors: Mote, C.Roland, Griffis, Carl L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.1980
• ISSN: 0141-4607; 1878-3171
• DOI: 10.1016/0141-4607(80)90018-9

Three mixtures of organic materials, each having a different material as the major carbon source, were composted in bench-scale compost units. Results of the compost trials indicate that mixtures of organic materials which have adequate nitrogen and are blended to have equal amounts of carbon and water and equal bulk densities may compost at different rates. These differences show the importance of the relative ease with which micro-organisms can oxidise the carbon (i.e. microbial availability of the carbon) in organic carbon sources when organic materials are blended to optimum C:N ratios for high-rate composting processes. Three soluble carbon fractions were quantified for each of the mixtures. The soluble carbon fractions produced mixed results as indicators of the microbial availability of the carbon in the three mixtures and their use cannot be recommended for prediction of how well a material will compost.