Article: Investigating composting progress of kitchen wastes using rate of change and cross-correlation approaches Journal: International Journal of Environment and Waste Management (IJEWM) 2019 Vol.23 No.2 pp.179 - 194 Abstract: Kitchen wastes usually require addition of some bulking agent for proper composting. In this study, mixtures of kitchen and pruning of elm trees were composted under three treatments of natural, low and high aeration rates. Temperature, ammonia, carbon monoxide, pH and volatile organic matter were monitored and analysed. The results indicated with increase in aeration rate, temperature of the treatments increased. The pH values of the treatments decreased initially to a minimum of 5.0 and then increased continuously. The emitted ammonia and CO initially rose but then continually decreased. The rate of change graphs showed two distinct phases of: 1) active; 2) constant rate for all measured factors. A correlation analysis on the five considered factors indicated the reduction in volatile organic matter and emitted CO and ammonia were highly negatively correlated with pH of the pile (r = −0.72), but their correlations with temperature were low. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Investigating composting progress of kitchen wastes using rate of change and cross-correlation approaches

Authors: Reza Ebrahimzadeh; Ahmad Ghazanfari-Moghaddam; Hamid Mortezapour; Mehdi Sarcheshmehpour

Addresses: Department of Mechanics of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran ' Department of Mechanics of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran ' Department of Mechanics of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran ' Department of Science of Soil Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract: Kitchen wastes usually require addition of some bulking agent for proper composting. In this study, mixtures of kitchen and pruning of elm trees were composted under three treatments of natural, low and high aeration rates. Temperature, ammonia, carbon monoxide, pH and volatile organic matter were monitored and analysed. The results indicated with increase in aeration rate, temperature of the treatments increased. The pH values of the treatments decreased initially to a minimum of 5.0 and then increased continuously. The emitted ammonia and CO initially rose but then continually decreased. The rate of change graphs showed two distinct phases of: 1) active; 2) constant rate for all measured factors. A correlation analysis on the five considered factors indicated the reduction in volatile organic matter and emitted CO and ammonia were highly negatively correlated with pH of the pile (r = −0.72), but their correlations with temperature were low.

Keywords: kitchen waste; bulking agent; aeration rate; ammonia emission; rate of change; correlation matrix.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2019.097614

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2019 Vol.23 No.2, pp.179 - 194

Received: 14 Dec 2017
Accepted: 29 May 2018
Published online: 31 Jan 2019 *

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Title: Investigating composting progress of kitchen wastes using rate of change and cross-correlation approaches

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