Characterization of organic matter in composting process by conventional and spectroscopic methods

Author(s)

Lucimar Lopes Fialho

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2007-12-10

Examining board members

Ladislau Martin Neto; Debora Marcondes Bastos Pereira Milori; Maria Olimpia de Oliveira Rezende; André Henrique Rosa; Sergio da Costa Saab

• Advisor: Ladislau Martin Neto

Abstract

The production of organic residues has increased in recent years and an alternative to their recycling is the composting process, where various biochemical reactions are developed for the material stabilization. These reactions are directly associated with organic matter humification. Considering the complexity of the transformations occurred during the humification process and the importance of knowing these reactions and the characteristics of the produced materials more precisely, this work has proposed a detailed study of the composting process. The combination of conventional methods and spectroscopic techniques allowed the continuous composting assessment and monitoring from different organic residues. Six piles (P) of 3.6 m3 were assembled using the following residues: garden trimming, fresh cattle manure, orange pomace, filter cake and pyroligneous acid solution (used as possible catalyst of the process). The process was monitored for 7 months with daily measurements of temperature, weekly moisture control and monthly collection of samples for humic acid (HA) extraction and chemical analyses. Typical phases of temperature in all piles were observed, except for P1 (composed only garden trimming). In the thermophilic phase the temperature reached 60 o C and this phase remained for about 90 days. This was also the time necessary for stabilization of cation exchange capacity and total carbon ratio (CEC/C), which reached values above of 2.2 mmolc g-1 . The macro- and micronutrient analyses showed the fertilizer potential of the produced composts. Concentration values for same elements are above those required by Normative Instruction number 23 of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Food Supply. As a result of the spectroscopic analyses, stabilization indices were obtained from fluorescence spectra of UV-Visible light. These indices showed good correlation with C/N ratio and with the semiquinone-type free radical, detected by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). The correlation of the indices with C/N ratio showed that the latter parameter has limitation to monitor the composting, because after 60 days the C/N ratio stabilizes and this occurs during the thermophilic phase, while the spectroscopic indices continue to change, which is an indicative that the process was not completely stabilized. Among several observations by fluorescence of UV-Visible light it was possible to identify transformation reactions of simpler organic molecules to more complex structures, which were detected by decrease in emission band intensity in shorter wavelengths (near 300 nm) with simultaneous increase in band intensity in longer wavelengths (near 400 nm). This behavior was also observed in the UV - Visible absorption spectra. It was possible to show the decomposition of carbohydrate type structures, polysaccharides and alkyl groups and the increase in aromatic structures, by 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR), during humification process of the organic residues. Therefore, more sensible analytic indicators were proposed for monitoring and characterization of the composting of organic residues through the combination of conventional and spectroscopic methods. (AU)