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Sustainability
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Sustainable Waste Management through Composting: Advances and Applications
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Sustainable Waste Management through Composting: Advances and Applications

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 21546

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Stefan Shilev

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Environmental Biotechnologies, Faculty of Plant Protection and Agroecology, Agricultural University – Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: soil microbiology; plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB); phytoremediation; biowaste composting and recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, organic waste accumulation represents an increasing danger for water and soil contamination and creates discomfort from spread of odors. Composting is the biotechnology that converts the wastes into a useful product and is recognized as an appropriate tool for sustainable waste management. It is energy-independent, contributes to environmental safety, and tremendously reduces organic wastes, greenhouse gas emissions, and pathogens. As soil amendment, the compost increases soil microbial diversity, improves soil structure and bioremediation, and contributes to erosion prevention. Despite the benefits, the technology needs to be adjusted from the point of view of duration, gas and odor emissions, use of valuable wastes, meets the needs of specific nutrients, etc.

Additionally, microbial communities play a crucial role in each composting stage, where the microbiome mediates the degradation of natural biopolymers and the formation of complex organic molecules. The communities comprise species interacting with each other in the specific habitats of composting piles. Decomposition and maturation of material are enormously influenced by microbial diversity, which affects the quality of compost as a final product used to enrich the soil with valuable nutrients, stimulating plant growth, and beneficial soil microorganisms. Further, the compost can also be an effective remediation agent in assisted bio- and phytoremediation strategies, thus improving soil sustainability.

This special edition will focus on composting as a part of waste management but also will highlight the utilization of compost as an amendment in improving soil system sustainability. As this topic is very relevant, the Special Issue will fill existing gaps in the literature, answering questions about the improvement of composting technology and its relation to sustainable waste management; use of byproducts of bioenergy processes in composting to bring environmental and agronomical benefits; understanding of enzyme functions and microbial community diversity, etc.

Dr. Stefan Shilev
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • waste management
  • sustainability
  • composting
  • microbial communities
  • microbial diversity
  • biodegradable wastes
  • bioremediation
  • soil contaminants

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1732 KiB  
Communication
The Development of Anammox and Chloroflexi Bacteria during the Composting of Sewage Sludge
by Sylwia Stegenta-Dąbrowska, Karolina Sobieraj, Joanna Rosik, Robert Sidełko, Marvin Valentin and Andrzej Białowiec
Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10248; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610248 - 18 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1839
Abstract
The C/N ratio is an extremely important parameter in the composting process and is directly responsible for the growth of microorganisms. A low C/N ratio contributes to higher emissions of greenhouse gases and odorous substances, such as ammonia (NH3), which is [...] Read more.
The C/N ratio is an extremely important parameter in the composting process and is directly responsible for the growth of microorganisms. A low C/N ratio contributes to higher emissions of greenhouse gases and odorous substances, such as ammonia (NH3), which is formed by nitrogen mineralization. Due to the highly toxic effects of ammonia, it is a particularly unwanted by-product that can disrupt the composting process since it poisons microorganisms and causes environmental issues. The activity of anammox bacteria, so far analyzed only in wastewater treatment processes, is a particularly efficient method of nitrogen removal, having an advantage over the conventional methods used previously. This study shows the presence of anammox bacteria during composting, which allows for an opportunity to improve the process and reduce its impact on atmospheric pollution. Despite the aerobic nature of this process, the composted mass of waste presents conditions conducive to the development of these ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, as well as the other strains of microorganisms cooperating with them. This makes it possible to compost at a low C/N ratio; in addition, there is no need for an additional energy supply through aeration, as the processes carried out by anammox bacteria do not require oxygen. Therefore, more in-depth research is necessary to evaluate the low C/N effect on anammox and Chloroflexi bacteria growth and its effect on nitrogen balance during composting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management through Composting: Advances and Applications)
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25 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Environmental Impacts of Using Municipal Biosolids on Soil, Plant and Groundwater Qualities
by Majeed Ali, Talaat Ahmed, Mohammed Abu-Dieyeh and Mohammad Al-Ghouti
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8368; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158368 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2270
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three different rates of municipal biosolids produced in Qatar on plant characteristics and soil texture and its potential impacts on groundwater. Petunia atkinsiana, was used in this study. The experiment took place in [...] Read more.
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three different rates of municipal biosolids produced in Qatar on plant characteristics and soil texture and its potential impacts on groundwater. Petunia atkinsiana, was used in this study. The experiment took place in a greenhouse in pots with soil mixed with 0, 3, 5, and 7 kg/m2 biosolids. Pelletized class A biosolids from the Doha North Sewage Treatment Plant were used. Results revealed significant differences in all measured parameters, which were affected by biosolid treatments compared to the control treatment. Electrical conductivity, pH, macro and micronutrients and heavy metals were significantly affected by biosolid treatments. The comparison of the discovered levels against the international acceptable ceilings of pollutants indicated the advantages of utilizing class A biosolids, as they were well below the international acceptable levels and showed the best test rates, indicating that the product is a sustainable and efficient organic fertilizer for ornamental plants. Furthermore, the results highlight no potential significant impacts on groundwater due to trace presence of heavy metals, owing to the nature of deep groundwater in Qatar and the usage of modern irrigation devices that fulfil the exact needs of plants in a harsh climate and high evaporation rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management through Composting: Advances and Applications)
15 pages, 1140 KiB  
Article
Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Organic Amendments Produced from Selected Agro-Wastes with Potential for Sustaining Soil Health: A Laboratory Assessment
by Kevin Muyang Tawie Sulok, Osumanu Haruna Ahmed, Choy Yuen Khew, Jarroop Augustine Mercer Zehnder, Mohamadu Boyie Jalloh, Adiza Alhassan Musah and Arifin Abdu
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4919; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094919 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 16387
Abstract
Sustaining soil health cannot be divorced from sustainable crop production. Organic, or natural, farming is being promoted as a good sustainable agriculture practice. One aspect of organic farming that could significantly enhance and sustain soil health, soil quality, and crop productivity is the [...] Read more.
Sustaining soil health cannot be divorced from sustainable crop production. Organic, or natural, farming is being promoted as a good sustainable agriculture practice. One aspect of organic farming that could significantly enhance and sustain soil health, soil quality, and crop productivity is the use of high-quality soil conditioners or organic amendments produced from agro-wastes. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the chemical and biological properties of selected agro-wastes with potential for use as organic amendments in sustaining soil health. Standard procedures were used to produce and characterize the soil conditioners, namely fermented plant juice (FPJ), fermented fruit juice (FFJ), palm kernel shell (PKS) biochar, and kitchen waste (KW) compost. The fermented juices (FPJ and FFJ), PKS biochar, and KW compost exhibited chemical and biological properties with good potential as soil conditioners or organic amendments to sustain soil health. The fermented juices contained important microbes that can solubilize P and K in soil for crop use. The high pH and C content of the biochar and compost and the high cation exchange capacity of the biochar are good indicators of the potential of these materials to sustain soil health in terms of the liming effect of acid soils, nutrient and water retention, nutrient reserves, and a suitable habitat for microbial life. Moreover, the organic amendments contain reasonable amounts of macro- and micro-nutrients, which could be released to increase soil fertility. Despite these potential benefits, field application of these organic amendments is necessary to evaluate their effects on soil health and crop production in both the short and long term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management through Composting: Advances and Applications)
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