Title: Chemical and physical properties of rice straw waste and hospital sewage sludge in turned windrow aeration system

Authors: Apisit Sancom, Khajornsak Sopajaree

Addresses: The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology, Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand. ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

Abstract: In this paper, we present the main goal of optimum quality ratio of co-composting with rice straw waste and hospital sewage sludge. The experiments were designed by varying the initial C/N ratio and moisture content in the range of 25-45 and 30-70% w/w., respectively. The results clearly showed that the losses of Kjeldahl-N increased when the amounts of sludge in the mixtures were increased. The highest carbon decomposition of 49% occurred in the system at a C/N ratio of 35 and 60% of moisture content, which coincided with high nitrogen content in this treatment. In addition, heavy metals and pathogens had lower concentrations than the maximum allowable for final compost for USEPA standards.

Keywords: co-composting; rice straw waste; hospital sewage sludge; turned windrow aeration; composting; carbon decomposition; moisture content; nitrogen content; heavy metals; pathogens; USEPA standards.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2010.034230

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2010 Vol.42 No.1/2/3, pp.125 - 135

Published online: 30 Jul 2010 *

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