Municipal solid waste compost amendment in agricultural soil: changes in soil microbial biomass

Abstract

Agricultural application of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), as nutrient source for plants and as soil conditioner, is the most cost-effective option of MSW management because of its advantages over traditional means such as landfilling or incineration. However, agricultural application of MSW can lead to a potential environmental threat due to the presence of pathogens and toxic pollutants. Composting is an attractive alternative of MSW recycling. Application of MSW compost (MSWC) in agricultural soils can directly alter soil physicochemical properties as well as promote plant growth. The soil microbial biomass, considered as the living part of soil organic matter, is very closely related to the soil organic matter content in many arable agricultural soils. Numerous studies, with different MSWC amendment doses on different soil types and under different water regimes revealed no detrimental effect on soil microbial biomass. In this review, we show the state of art about the effects of MSWC amendment on soil microbial biomass.

Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on Soil Properties and Vegetables Growth

“…Depletion of SOM, is accompanied by a cascade of adverse impacts, including decreases in soil fertility and productivity, decreased biodiversity, lower microbial activity, instability of aggregates, and reduction in infiltration rate followed by increased runoff and erosion, which further stimulate soil degradation (Martin et al 2010). To reverse these impacts, various practices have been employed, including the adoption of non-tillage practices and application of manure and biosolids (de Ara ujo et al 2010;Neto et al 2010;Rigane and Medhioub 2011).…”

Reduction of the short-term availability of copper, lead and zinc in a contaminated soil amended with municipal solid waste compost

“…The recycling of the organic matter contained in municipal solid waste (MSW) as an amendment for agricultural soils after composting is a feasible option for conserving the organic matter levels in soil and also for improving soil quality and productivity [1][2][3][4][5][6]. However, MSW composts can in some cases introduce contaminants in the soil, because they may present high concentrations of toxic trace elements, especially when mechanically sorted organic fraction is used for their production, instead of the separately collected waste [7,8].…”

Volatile organic compounds and bioaerosols in the vicinity of a municipal waste organic fraction treatment plant. Human health risks

“…Because of legislative, environmental, economic, and social constraints, the identification of sustainable disposal routes for the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a very important issue (de Araújo et al 2010). Among the current possibilities to handle organic waste, sorting-composting is one of the most promising viable alternatives, mainly before landfilling or incineration (Donovan et al 2010).…”