Chemical Characteristics of Compost and Humic Acid from Sago Waste (Metroxylon sagu)

Abstract

Problem statement: Agriculture waste such as Sago Waste (SW) has a potential to cause pollution either on land or in water. In order to reduce this problem, a study was conducted to investigate the effect of three different treatments on the chemical characteristics of compost and humic acid from SW. Approach: The study had three treatments which were: T1: SW (80%) + chicken feed (5%) + chicken dung slurry (5%) + molasses (5%) + urea (5%), T2: SW (80%) + chicken feed (10%) + chicken dung slurry (5%) + molasses (5%) and T3: SW (80%) + chicken feed (10%) + chicken dung slurry (5%) + urea (5%). Composting was done for 60 days in a white polystyrene box with a size of 61.5×49×33.5 cm. The composts were analyzed for pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, organic matter, ash, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), phosphorus and HA using standard procedures. Results: All treatments did not reach thermophilic phase. Compost of T2 had high quality (pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, organic matter, ash, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), phosphorus and HA) compared to T1 and T3. The yield of HA of T2 was also significantly higher compared to those of T1 and T3. The compost characteristics of T1 and T3 were similar. The chemical characteristics of HA the 3 treatments were within the standard range reported by other researchers. Conclusion: T2 is more efficient in producing mature and good quality compost in 60 days compared to T1 and T3.

Effect of Tithonia diversifolia on Compost Pile Heat Built-Up and Physico-Chemical Quality Parameters of Chimato Compost

“…The observed prolonged broad and greater range of thermophilic temperatures in chimato compost piles Td0, Td20 and Td40 are attributable to their high initial C/N ratios (C/N ratio 66:1, 41:1 and 37:1 respectively; C/N> 31:1) of the blend that induced slow microbial decomposition process because their substrate possessed abundant carbon in agreement to reports by WSU (2010), Petrus et al (2009) andTani (2009). It is suggested that maize stalks provided the large quantities of high carbon content cellulosic materials (lignin) whose oxidation and digestion generate large amounts of heat that made Td0, Td20 and Td40 to experience prolonged high temperatures.…”

“…The blending composition probably provided the organic resources of Td0, Td20 and Td40 with large initial C/N ratio (67:1, 41:1, 37:1) and organic resources of Td80 and Td100 with lower initial C/N ratio (15:1, 10:1) such that Td0, Td20 and Td40 organic resources possessed large quantities of carbon atoms without corresponding provision of nitrogen atoms for microbes to use as source of energy and as building materials of their structures respectively. As such, microorganisms slowly digested the abundant carbon atoms in the organic resource by using and/or reusing their stored limited nitrogen to burn large quantities of carbon atoms for a longer period supporting findings by Petrus et al (2009) and Tani (2009) that slow and passive microbial activities are experienced in compost piles with initial C/N ratio of greater than 30:1. Thus, the process prolonged exothermic decomposition reaction that induced the observed high-prolonged temperatures (heat built-up) as well as broad and greater range of compost heat built-up in chimato composts Td0, Td20 and Td40.…”

“…Blending that included 100% and 80% of T. diversifolia (in Td80 and Td100) lowered initial C/N ratios of the compost piles to fall below the recommended range of 20-30:1 or lower (Petrus et al, 2009;Tani, 2009). Thus, Td100 and Td80 possibly provided microorganisms with enormous amounts of nitrogen, easy to digest substrate, for building their cell structure during microbial activities.…”

“…3, No. 3;2013 growth and respiration of microorganisms activities after the limited quantities of carbon atoms were digested (Petrus et al, 2009;Tani, 2009) and used up, which further limited exothermic reaction process of decomposition (Biddlestone, 1987;WSU, 2010). This limitation probably led to limited generation of heat, hence the observed low temperatures.…”

Isolation of Amylolytic Bacteria from Viscera of <i>Labeo rohita</i> (Ham.) and Optimization of Alpha Amylase Extraction

“…Organic solvents possess lower dielectric constant than the inorganic solvents. Generally, amylase is extracted in organic solvents (Petrus et al, 2009) such as ethanol, methanol, glycerol. But during our investigation, CaCl 2 acted as the best solvent that might be attributed to some stimulatory effect of CaCl 2 on amylase extraction and activity.…”