Effects of recycling hyper-thermal inoculum by repeated batch cultivation into co-composting of sludge and livestock-poultry manure.

Abstract

The enrichment and adaptation of hyper-thermal compost-derived thermophilic inoculum by repeated batch cultivation (RBC) was conducted by investigating bacterial community. The effects of recycling hyper-thermal inoculum by RBC into co-composting were investigated through evaluating the influences of temperature, pH, moisture, C/N ratio, transformation of nitrogen, composting maturity, humification levels and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that RBC enriched the thermophilic bacterial community and nitrogen fixation bacteria of the compost-derived thermophilic inoculum. Simultaneously, recycling the inoculum into co-composting increased the temperature, nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N) and Germination index (GI), and improved the transformation of nitrogen and humification levels. Conclusively, recycling hyper-thermal inoculum by RBC into co-composting can improve the degradation process.