Soil bioassays as tools for sludge compost quality assessment

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.10.013· OSTI ID:21550344

Domene, Xavier ^[1]; Sola, Laura; Ramirez, Wilson; Alcaniz, Josep M; Andres, Pilar ^[1]

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1. Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Facultat de Ciencies i Biociencies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona (Spain)

Composting is a waste management technology that is becoming more widespread as a response to the increasing production of sewage sludge and the pressure for its reuse in soil. In this study, different bioassays (plant germination, earthworm survival, biomass and reproduction, and collembolan survival and reproduction) were assessed for their usefulness in the compost quality assessment. Compost samples, from two different composting plants, were taken along the composting process, which were characterized and submitted to bioassays (plant germination and collembolan and earthworm performance). Results from our study indicate that the noxious effects of some of the compost samples observed in bioassays are related to the low organic matter stability of composts and the enhanced release of decomposition endproducts, with the exception of earthworms, which are favored. Plant germination and collembolan reproduction inhibition was generally associated with uncomposted sludge, while earthworm total biomass and reproduction were enhanced by these materials. On the other hand, earthworm and collembolan survival were unaffected by the degree of composting of the wastes. However, this pattern was clear in one of the composting procedures assessed, but less in the other, where the release of decomposition endproducts was lower due to its higher stability, indicating the sensitivity and usefulness of bioassays for the quality assessment of composts.

• OSTI ID: 21550344
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Journal Name: Waste Management Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 31; ISSN WAMAE2; ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
ANNELIDS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPOST
COMPOSTING
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
GERMINATION
INVERTEBRATES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATTER
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANIC WASTES
PERFORMANCE
PLANTS
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
REPRODUCTION
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES