Open AccessEffect of inoculation with a microbial consortium that degrades organic acids on the composting efficiency of food waste
Author(s) -
Song Caihong,
Zhang Yali,
Xia Xunfeng,
Qi Hui,
Li Mingxiao,
Pan Hongwei,
Xi Beidou
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
microbial biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.287
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 1751-7915
DOI - 10.1111/1751-7915.13294
Subject(s) - compost , humus , food waste , inoculation , decomposition , chemistry , degradation (telecommunications) , food science , green waste , acetic acid , biodegradable waste , humic acid , organic matter , lignin , organic acid , environmental chemistry , horticulture , biology , agronomy , biochemistry , organic chemistry , ecology , telecommunications , fertilizer , computer science , soil water
Summary In order to overcome the excessive acidification problem, a microbial consortium for the degradation of organic acids ( MCDOA ), which acts synergistically in degrading organic acids, was developed and used as an inoculum to improve the efficiency of food waste composting. MCDOA could eliminate the initial lag phase of the pile temperature rise because of excessive acidification and effectively shorten the composting period. Fluorescence regional integration analysis of the excitation‐emission matrix spectra of dissolved organic matter showed that compared with raw material, in compost with MCDOA inoculation, the percent fluorescence response ( P i,n ) values of Regions I, II and IV decreased by 95.11%, 94.19% and 87.41%, respectively, and P i,n of Region V increased by 172.57%. The decreased and increased levels were markedly higher than in the two control groups (MgO and K 2 HPO 4 treatment, and uninoculated compost). These findings revealed that MCDOA accelerated the degradation of proteinaceous compounds and the formation of complicated humic‐like materials. Bacterial profiles implied that MCDOA could improve the indigenous bacterial community structure and diversities of acetic and propionic acid‐degrading and lignin‐degrading bacteria, which might account for the high composting efficiency and degree of humification of the inoculated compost.