Evaluation of an organic soil amendment generated from municipal solid waste seeded with activated sewage sludge

• Published in: Journal of material cycles and waste management Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 273 - 286
• Main Authors: Deepesh, V., Verma, Virendra Kumar, Suma, K., Ajay, Swathi, Gnanavelu, A., Madhusudanan, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.04.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activated; Analysis; Chemical analysis; Civil Engineering; Composting; Engineering; Environmental Management; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; Inoculum; Laboratories; Microorganisms; Municipal solid waste; Municipal waste management; Organic soils; Original Article; Pathogens; Pesticide residues; Pesticides; Phytotoxicity; Plant growth; Sewage disposal; Sewage sludge; Sludge; Soil (material); Soil amendment; Soil contaminants; Soil quality; Solid waste management; Studies; Waste disposal; Waste management; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Water treatment; Activated sewage sludge; Composting; Phytotoxicity; Microbial valorization; Soil amendment; Municipal solid waste
• ISSN: 1438-4957; 1611-8227
• DOI: 10.1007/s10163-014-0329-8

This study investigated the feasibility of using fresh activated sewage sludge as inoculum for the microbial valorization of segregated municipal solid waste and evaluated the quality of organic soil amendment generated. Organic fraction of municipal solid waste, which consisted of vegetative (vegetable, fruit and flower) wastes was seeded with activated sewage sludge and processed by rapid aerobic microbial treatment. Efficacy of microbial valorization process and quality of final product were assessed by physico-chemical analysis. Suitability of final product was assessed with regard to heavy metal content, pesticide residues, microbiological quality and phytotoxicity. Quality of the soil amendment generated was compared with the control product generated with a commercial microbial inoculum. Phytotoxicity experiments indicated the stimulatory effect of sewage sludge seeded soil amendment on plant growth but inhibition was observed in closed growth test due to the evolution of gaseous phytotoxic agents. The study suggests that segregated municipal solid waste can be effectively valorized with activated non-dewatered sewage sludge as inoculum and the quality of soil amendment generated was comparable to compost intended for unrestricted applications.