Characterization of the quality and maturity of different vermicomposts from agro-industrial residues

• Grant number: 11/14409-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Maria Olímpia de Oliveira Rezende
• Grantee: Rafael dos Santos Ferrer
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The agricultural use of organic waste is characterized as one of the appropriate forms of exploitation since the waste can be used to produce organic fertilizers. Vermicomposting is an alternative to eminent waste that consists of organic and bio-oxidation and stabilization of organic matter, resulting from the combined action of earthworms and microflora that live in their digestive tract. Upon reaching the stage of maturity, the vermicompost will consist, as a rule, of more recalcitrant organic waste. Due to the availability and low cost in the region of São Carlos-SP, vermicomposting will be produced from orange bagasse, filter cake, and cattle manure. In order to characterize the extracted humic substances during the vermicomposting process, spectroscopic absorption in the UV-Vis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) will be used.(AU)