Rather than landfilling, composting the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) recycles the waste as a safe and nutrient enriched soil amendment, reduces emissions of greenhouse gases and generates less leachate. The objective of this project was to investigate the composting effectiveness of three bulking agents, namely chopped wheat (Triticum) straw, chopped mature hay consisting of 80 % timothy (milium) and 20 % clover (triphullum) and pine (pinus) wood shaving. These bulking agents were each mixed in duplicates at three different ratios with FW and composted for 10 days using prototype invessel composters to observe their temperature and pH trends. Then, each mixture was matured in vertical barrels for 56 days to measure their mass loss and final nutrient content and to visually evaluate their level of decomposition. Chopped wheat straw (CWS) and chopped hay (CH) were the only two formulas which reached thermophilic temperatures during the 10 days of active composting when mixed with FW at a wet mass ratio of 8.9 and 8.6:1(FW:CWS and FW:CH), respectively. After 56 days of maturation, these two formulas were well decomposed with no or very few recognizable substrate particles, and offered a final TN exceeding the original. Wood shavings (WS) produced the least decomposed compost at maturation, with wood particles still visible in the final product, and with TN lower than the initial. Nevertheless, all BA produced compost with an organic matter, TN, TP and TK content suitable for use as soil amendment.Author-produced version of the article published in Waste Management, 2009, 29, 1. 197-203. Original publication available at www.elsevier. com -doi : 10.1016/j.wasman.2008.04.001 Suggested Reviewers : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64

No abstract

No abstract

Graded levels of cellulose (0 to 20%) or of pectin (0 to 10%) were incorporated in purified diets with either 22 or 8.5% casein as the protein source. Weanling male rats were fed these diets for 4 weeks. Body weight gain, food consumption, feed efficiency, protein biological value, apparent digestion of food, fiber and protein, cecal weight and cecal volatile fatty acids (VFA) were recorded. Cellulose was largely and inert diet diluent causing increased weight gains when protein was limiting but not when protein was sufficient. The 25% disappearance in the gut was due, at least in part, to compaction in the ceca and in increased cecal VFA. Pectin caused progressively greater depressions in body weight gain, food intake and efficiency and protein digestion at both levels of dietary protein. At least part of the 75% disappearance of pectin during passage through the gut could be attributed to increased cecal VFA. However, a rat growth bioassay for energy showed that pectin as well as cellulose, agar and gum arabic contributed no measurable energy to young rats.

Proximate analyses, amino acid profiles, and protein efficiency ratios (PER) from ratfeeding trials were conducted on samples from soya beans (Glycine max), lupin species (L. angustijo!ius, L. albus, L. mutabilis) , phaseolus species (P. lunatus, P. vulgaris), peas (Pisum sativum) , and field beans (Vicia jaba). These legume seeds were included as the ~olc protein source in diets fed to rats, with and without methionine, the first limiting amino acid. All three lupin species contained less lysine than P. vulgaris or P. sativum (as % total amino acids), and were marginal in valine. However, Lupinus angustifolius seed (with added methionine) gave growth and PER equal to reference casein and significantly superior to any of the other species when fed raw. The alkaloid content in the L. albus and L. mutabilis samples strongly inhibited growth; these lupin species ought not to be considered for food and feed use in their present form. Phaseolus lunatus (lima beans) and P. vulgaris (bl?ck, red kidney, navy, pinto beans) killed 37 of 50 rats when fed raw at 9% protein levels. Pisvm sativum (field and garden peas), with methionine, gave growth at 70% of reference ca&ein when fed raw. After cooking, all beans and peas gave very good growth and PER values. However, apparent protein digestibility was less than 80%. 457