Compost tea describes a procedure where compost is mixed with water. The mixture may be left to stand with minimal disturbance, also called “compost extract” or “steepage”, or actively supplied with oxygen by an aquarium pump to stimulate population growth of aerobic microbes. This project examined actively aerated compost tea. Over a 3-year period, 25 experiments were conducted where a standar...

Composting is a natural process that turns organic material into a dark rich substance called compost. Aerobic Composting is the creation of compost that depends on bacteria that thrive in an oxygen rich environment. Aerobic bacteria manage the chemical process by converting the inputs (i.e. air, water and carbon and nitrogen rich materials) into heat, carbon dioxide and ammonium. The ammonium ...

Extreme growing conditions inhibit restoration in sandpit mines. Co-amendment of soil conditioners such as biochar, compost, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may alleviate these stresses and lead to a more successful restoration. We conducted a multiyear restoration experiment in a sandpit in Southern Ontario, Canada, following industrial-scale grassland restoration protocols. The sandpit...

Passive aeration systems are more economical than active aeration systems and deliver similar performance, but mathematical descriptions of the process are inadequate for use in design or optimization. Therefore, a practical analytical model of airflow development in passively aerated compost was developed. The model relates the physical characteristics and temperature of the compost with the p...

Fungal community composition in composts of lignocellulosic wastes was assessed via 454-pyrosequencing of ITS1 libraries derived from the three major composting phases. Ascomycota represented most (93%) of the 27,987 fungal sequences. A total of 102 genera, 120 species, and 222 operational taxonomic units (OTUs; >97% similarity) were identified. Thirty genera predominated (ca. 94% of the sequen...

Biodegradabilities of polymers and their composites in a controlled compost were described. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were employed as biodegradable polymers. Biodegradabilities of PCL and PLA samples in a controlled compost were measured using a Microbial Oxidative Degradation Analyzer (MODA) according to ISO 14855-2. Sample preparation method for biodegradation test a...

2Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber. ach year agricultural effluents, industrial residues, and industrial accidents contaminate surface waters, soils, air, streams, and reservoirs. A new compost technology, known as compost bioremediation, is currently being used to restore contaminated soils, manage stormwater, control odors, and degrade volatile organic comp...

2Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber. ach year agricultural effluents, industrial residues, and industrial accidents contaminate surface waters, soils, air, streams, and reservoirs. A new compost technology, known as compost bioremediation, is currently being used to restore contaminated soils, manage stormwater, control odors, and degrade volatile organic comp...

Composting swine slurries has several advantages, liquid slurries are converted to solids at lower moisture, the total volume and weight of material is reduced and the stabilized product is more easily transported off-site. Despite this, swine waste is generally stored, treated and applied in its liquid form. High-rise finishing facilities (HRFF) permit liquid slurries to be converted to solids...

The degradation performance of 11 types of commercially produced degradable starch-polyethylene plastic compost bags was evaluated in municipal yard waste compost sites at Iowa State University (Ames) and in Carroll, Dubuque, and Grinnell, Iowa. Masterbatches for plastic production were provided by Archer Daniels Midland Co. (Decatur, Ill.), St. Lawrence Starch Co. Ltd. (Mississauga, Ontario, C...