Naceur Jedidi

Microbial characterization during composting of municipal solid waste

This study investigates the prevailing physico-chemical conditions and microbial community; mesophilic bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi, bacterial spores, Salmonella and Shigella as well as faecal indicator bacteria: total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal Streptococci, present in a compost of municipal solid waste. Investigations were conducted in a semi-industrial pilot plant using a moderate aeration during the composting process. Our results showed that: (i) auto-sterilization induced by relatively high temperatures (60-55 degrees C) caused a significant change in bacterial communities. For instance, Escherichia coli and faecal Streptococci populations decreased, respectively, from 2 x 10(7) to 3.1 x 10(3) and 10(7) to 1.5 x 10(3) cells/g waste dry weight (WDW); yeasts and filamentous fungi decreased from 4.5 x 10(6) to 2.6 x 10(3) cells/g WDW and mesophilic bacteria were reduced from 5.8 x 10(9) to 1.8 x 10(7) bacteria/g WDW. On the other hand, the number of bacterial spores increased at the beginning of the composting process, but after the third week their number decreased notably; (ii) Salmonella disappeared completely from compost by the 25th day as soon as the temperature reached 60 degrees C; and (iii) the bacterial population increased gradually during the cooling phase. While Staphylococci seemed to be the dominant bacteria during the mesophilic phase and at the beginning of the thermophilic phase, bacilli predominated during the remainder of the composting cycle. The appearance of gram-negative rods (opportunistic pathogens) during the cooling phase may represent a serious risk for the sanitary quality of the finished product intended for agronomic reuse. Compost sonication for about 3 min induced the inactivation of delicate bacteria, in particular gram-negatives. By contrast, gram-positive bacteria, especially micrococcus, spores of bacilli, and fungal propagules survived, and reached high concentrations in the compost.

Ammonium biosorption onto sawdust: FTIR analysis, kinetics and adsorption isotherms modeling.

Sawdust, an available and renewable biomass, was investigated as a novel ammonium biosorbent. Biosorption occurred over a pH range of 6-10, reached an equilibrium state within only 20 min, and can be described by a pseudo-second-order model predicting a chemisorption process. Equilibrium data were very well represented by Langmuir isotherm and confirm monolayer coverage. FTIR analysis before and after biosorption of ammonium onto sawdust suggested that the main mechanisms involved in the removal of ammonium might be the ionic exchange and complexation. The use of sawdust presents an interesting option for both tertiary wastewater treatment (as a possible non-conventional biosorbent for the removal of ammonium), and waste recycling (as a fertilizer and compost).

Effectiveness of compost use in salt-affected soil

Soil degradation and salinization are two of the utmost threat affecting agricultural areas, derived from the increasing use of low quality water and inappropriate cultural practices. The problem of low productivity of saline soils may be ascribed not only to their salt toxicity or damage caused by excess amounts of soluble salts but also arising from the lack of organic matter and available mineral nutrients especially N, P, and K. Concerns about salinization risk and environmental quality and productivity of agro-ecosystems have emphasized the need to develop management practices that maintain soil resources. Composted municipal solid waste (MSW) was commonly used to enhance soil productivity in the agricultural lands and rebuild fertility. However, their application could be also a promising alternative to alleviate the adverse effects caused by soil salinization. MSW compost, with high organic matter content and low concentrations of inorganic and organic pollutants allow an improvement of physical, chemical and biochemical characteristics and constitute low cost soil recovery.

Accumulation and fractionation of trace metals in a Tunisian calcareous soil amended with farmyard manure and municipal solid waste compost

A field plots experiment was carried out to assess the effects of repeated application of municipal solid waste compost in comparison to farmyard manure on the accumulation and distribution of trace metals, as well as organic carbon and nitrogen in Tunisian calcareous soil. Compared with untreated soil, the application of the two organic amendments significantly increased the organic carbon and nitrogen contents of the soil. Particle-size fractionations showed that carbon and nitrogen were mainly found to occur in the macro-organic matter fraction (80%). The two organic amendments significantly increased organic carbon in the macro-organic and mineral >150 microm fraction and the 150-50 microm fraction, as well as the organic nitrogen in 150-50 microm and macro-organic fraction. Compared with farmyard manure, municipal solid waste compost significantly increased total Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn contents in the topsoil. These trace metals were mainly present in the macro-organic matter fraction. Significant increases of Cu, Zn and Pb were detected in the 150-50 microm, <50 microm and macro-organic fractions after application of municipal solid waste compost. A significant increase of Cd content was only observed in the 150-50 microm fraction. The trace metals also showed different fractionation patterns when the BCR sequential extraction scheme was applied on untreated and compost-treated soil. The residual fraction was found to be the major fraction, especially for Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn. In contrast, Cd was mainly present in the acid-extractable and reducible fraction, whereas Pb was mainly associated with the reducible fraction.

Application of municipal solid waste compost reduces the negative effects of saline water in Hordeum maritimum L.

The efficiency of composted municipal solid wastes (MSW) to reduce the adverse effects of salinity was investigated in Hordeum maritimum under greenhouse conditions. Plants were cultivated in pots filled with soil added with 0 and 40tha(-1) of MSW compost, and irrigated twice a week with tap water at two salinities (0 and 4gl(-1) NaCl). Harvests were achieved at 70 (shoots) and 130 (shoots and roots) days after sowing. At each cutting, dry weight (DW), NPK nutrition, chlorophyll, leaf protein content, Rubisco (ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) capacity, and contents of potential toxic elements were determined. Results showed that compost supply increased significantly the biomass production of non salt-treated plants (+80%). This was associated with higher N and P uptake in both shoots (+61% and +80%, respectively) and roots (+48% and +25%, respectively), while lesser impact was observed for K+. In addition, chlorophyll and protein contents as well as Rubisco capacity were significantly improved by the organic amendment. MSW compost mitigated the deleterious effect of salt stress on the plant growth, partly due to improved chlorophyll and protein contents and Rubisco capacity (-15%, -27% and -14%, respectively, in combined treatment, against -45%, -84% and -25%, respectively, in salt-stressed plants without compost addition), which presumably favoured photosynthesis and alleviated salt affect on biomass production by 21%. In addition, plants grown on amended soil showed a general improvement in their heavy metals contents Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+ (in combined treatment: 190%, 53%, 168% and 174% in shoots and 183%, 42%, 42% and 114% in roots, respectively) but remained lower than phytotoxic values. Taken together, these findings suggest that municipal waste compost may be safely applied to salt-affected soils without adverse effects on plant physiology.

Microbial biomass in a soil amended with different types of organic wastes

Application of different types of organic wastes may have a marked effect on soil microbial biomass and its activity. The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of microbial biomass in a loamy-clayey soil, amended with different types of organic waste residues (composts of municipal solid waste of different ages, sewage sludge and farmyard manure) and incubated for 8 weeks at 25°C and two-thirds of field capacity, using the fumigation–extraction method. Both microbial biomass-C and -N (B C and B N, respectively) appeared to be dependent on the type of organic waste residues, on their degree of stability, and on their chemical characteristics. In general, organic wastes increased the microbial biomass-C content in the soil and the microbial B C was positively correlated with the organic C content, the C/N, neutral detergent fibre/N (NDF/N) and acid detergent fibre/N (ADF/N) ratios. The microbial biomass content decreased according to the period of incubation, especially when the compost used was immature. The microbial biomass-N was positively correlated with the total N and percentage of hemicellulose. The microbial biomass-C was linearly related with the microbial biomass-N and the ratio B C/B N was exponentially related with the B C.

Contrasting effects of municipal compost on alfalfa growth in clay and in sandy soils: N, P, K, content and heavy metal toxicity

The limits for loading soils with Tunisian urban compost for cultivating Medicago sativa were determined in a 6-month experiment in a greenhouse. Mature municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) from Tunis city was applied to clay and sandy soils from cultivated fields at rates equivalent to 40, 80, 120tha(-1). In the absence of MSWC, the shoot biomass (dry weight) cumulated over four cuts was 2-2.5 lower in sandy soil than in clay soil. It was 20-25% augmented upon MSWC addition in clay soil, independently of MSWC dose. The opposite trend was observed in sandy soil, the shoot yields being diminished by MSWC in a dose dependent manner. In MSWC-amended clay soil but not in sandy soil, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations in shoots remained below or close to the tolerated values according to EEC norms. The MSWC might be used as conditioner for clay soil, but not for sandy soil.

Effect of temperature and pH on the biosorption of ammonium onto Posidonia oceanica fibers: equilibrium, and kinetic modeling studies.

In the present study, the effects of temperature and pH on ammonium biosorption onto Posidonia oceanica fibers were investigated. The results showed that the ammonium biosorption onto these fibers occurred for a wide pH range and the adsorption capacity of these fibers increased with increasing temperature. The modeling studies showed that the ammonium biosorption was well described by the pseudo-second-order model, predicting therefore chemisorption interactions-type at earlier stages and intraparticle diffusion at later stages. The ammonium biosorption was governed by film diffusion process at various temperatures. Besides, equilibrium data were very well represented by Langmuir isotherm, which confirmed the mono-layer coverage. The use of P. oceanica fibers presents an interesting option for both tertiary wastewater treatment (as a possible non-conventional biosorbent for the removal of ammonium), and waste recycling (as a fertilizer and compost).

THE EFFECT OF COMPOST AND SEWAGE SLUDGE ON SOIL BIOLOGIC ACTIVITIES IN SALT AFFECTED SOIL

Saline soil was amended with 13.3 and 26.6 g kg -1 of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) compost or sewage sludge, and arylsulphatase (ARY), phosphatase (PHO), dehydrogenase (DEH), β-glucosidase (β-GLU), urease (URE) and catalase (CAT) activities as well as physical-chemical properties were determined after 70 day of incubation under laboratory conditions. MSW compost and sewage sludge significantly improved soil physical-chemical properties, especially carbon and nitrogen contents. Accordingly, overall enzyme activities were substantially promoted in presence of both amendments and the higher increases were measured at 13.3 g kg -1 of MSW compost (increases by 107%, 43%, 20%, 11%, and 148% for, DEH, β-GLU, PHO, URE, and CAT, respectively). Lower beneficial effects occurred at 26.6 g kg -1 of sewage sludge possibly because of the increased salinity or the presence of trace elements by sewage sludge application. As a general response, MSW compost supplied at 13.3 g kg -1 seems

Characterization of ammonium retention processes onto cactus leaves fibers using FTIR, EDX and SEM analysis.

In order to reduce the impact of nitrogen pollution and to increase the agronomic value of plant wastes to be reused as organic fertilizer, we have investigated the removal of ammonium from aqueous solutions onto cactus leave fibers (CLF), and the mechanisms involved in the retention of ammonium at CLF surface. The results showed that ammonium retention onto these fibers occurred for a wide pH (6-10) and temperature ranges (20-60°C) and the biosorption potential of CLF increased with temperature from 1.4 to 2.3 mg g(-1) for initial concentration of 50 mg L(-1). The modeling studies showed that the ammonium biosorption was well described by the pseudo-second-order model, predicting therefore, chemisorption interactions-type at earlier stages and by intraparticle diffusion at later stages. Biosorption is governed by film diffusion process at higher concentrations and by particle diffusion process at higher temperatures. The surface of CLF determined by SEM revealed the presence of cracks and cavities which may allow the intraparticle diffusion and the ion exchange processes. Moreover, FTIR and EDX analysis before and after ammonium retention showed that the main mechanisms involved in the removal of ammonium were the ionic exchange by calcium ions as well as H(+) and the complexation with carboxylic, alcoholic and phenolic groups.