PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different initial carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios on the organic matter degradation during active co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) anaerobic sludge. The initial C/N ratio was varied from 25:1, 35:1 and 45:1. Co-composting was conducted by periodic addition of sludge to maintain the moisture content and enrich the compost product. The organic matter (OM), carbon to nitrogen profile and compost maturity index were analysed. The results showed that the initial C/N ratio of 35:1 was the best initial C/N ratio. In addition, the C/N ratio of 35:1 gave the best OM degradation. The appropriate amount of initial C/N ratio coupled with the correct composting process parameters such as daily mixing, suitable pH and moisture content improved the organic matter degradation. It reduced the composting time from 40-60 days to 30 days.

• Alkarimiah, R., & Rahman, R. A. (2014). Co-composting of EFB and POME with the role of nitrogen-fixers bacteria as additives in composting process - A review. International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative Technology, 3(2), 132-145.

• Baharuddin, A. S., Kazunori, N., Abd-Aziz, S., Tabatabaei, M., Rahman, N. A. A., Hassan, M. A., Wakisaka, M., Sakai, K., & Shirai, Y. (2009). Characteristics and microbial succession in co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch and partially treated palm oil mill effluent. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 3(1), 87-95. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874070700903010087

• Bernal, M. P., Alburquerque, J. A, & Moral, R. (2009). Composting of animal manures and chemical criteria for compost maturity assessment. A review. Bioresource Technology, 100(22), 5444-5453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.11.027

• Białobrzewski, I., Mikš-Krajnik, M., Dach, J., Markowski, M., Czekała, W., & Głuchowska, K. (2015). Model of the sewage sludge-straw composting process integrating different heat generation capacities of mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms. Waste Management, 43, 72-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.05.036

• Cundiff, J. S., & Mankin, K. R. (2003). Modeling the composting process. In Dynamics of Biological Systems (pp. 4.1-4.64). American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

• Gao, M., Liang, F., Yu, A., Li, B., & Yang, L. (2010). Evaluation of stability and maturity during forced-aeration composting of chicken manure and sawdust at different C/N ratios. Chemosphere, 78(5), 614-619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.10.056

• Hock, L. S., Baharuddin, A. S., Ahmad, M. N., Shah, U. K., Aini, N., Rahman, A., Abd-aziz, S., Hassan, M. A., & Shirai, Y. (2009). Physicochemical changes in windrow co-composting process of oil palm mesocarp fiber and palm oil mill effluent anaerobic sludge. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 3(3), 2809-2816.

• Kumar, M., Ou, Y. L., & Lin, J. G. (2010). Co-composting of green waste and food waste at low C/N ratio. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 30(4), 602-609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.11.023

• Lin, C. (2008). A negative-pressure aeration system for composting food wastes. Bioresource Technology, 99(16), 7651-7656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.01.078

• Loh, S. K., Nasrin, A. B., Azri, S. M., Adela, B. N., Muzzammil, N., Jay, T. D., Eleanor, R. A. S., Lim, W. S., Choo, Y. M., & Kaltschmitt, M. (2017). First report on Malaysia’s experiences and development in biogas capture and utilization from palm oil mill effluent under the economic transformation programme: Current and future perspectives. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 74(September 2015), 1257-1274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.02.066

• Nakasaki, K., Yaguchi, H., Sasaki, Y., & Kubota, H. (1990). Effects of oxygen concentration on composting of garbage. Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering, 70(6), 431-433. https://doi.org/10.1016/0922-338X(90)90128-J

• Onursal, E., & Ekinci, K. (2016). A kinetic study on how C/N ratio affects energy consumption of composting of rose oil-processing wastes with caged layer manure and straw. Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy, 36(1), 129-137. https://doi.org/10.1002/ep

• Puyuelo, B., Ponsá, S., Gea, T., & Sánchez, A. (2011). Determining C/N ratios for typical organic wastes using biodegradable fractions. Chemosphere, 85(4), 653-659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.07.014

• Razali, W. A. W., Baharuddin, A. S., Talib, A. T., Sulaiman, A., Naim, M. N., Hassan, M. A., & Shirai, Y. (2012). Degradation of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) fibre during composting process using in-vessel composter. BioResources, 7(2010), 4786-4805.

• Ryckeboer, J., Mergaert, J., Vaes, K., Klammer, S., Clercq, D., Coosemans, J., Insam, H., & Swings, J. (2003). A survey of bacteria and fungi occurring during composting and self-heating processes. Annals of Microbiology, 53(4), 349-410.

• Satisha, G. C., & Devarajan, L. (2007). Effect of amendments on windrow composting of sugar industry pressmud. 27, 1083-1091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.04.020

• Singh, R. P., Ibrahim, M. H., Esa, N., & Iliyana, M. S. (2010). Composting of waste from palm oil mill: A sustainable waste management practice. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 9(4), 331-344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-010-9199-2

• Talib, A. T., Mokhtar, M. N., Baharuddin, A. S., & Sulaiman, A. (2014). Effects of aeration rate on degradation process of oil palm empty fruit bunch with kinetic-dynamic modeling. Bioresource Technology, 169, 428-438.

• Tumuhairwe, J. B., Tenywa, J. S., Otabbong, E., & Ledin, S. (2009). Comparison of four low-technology composting methods for market crop wastes. Waste Management, 29(8), 2274-2281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.03.015

• Zainudin, M. H. M., Hassan, M. A., Tokura, M., & Shirai, Y. (2013). Indigenous cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic bacteria enhanced rapid co-composting of lignocellulose oil palm empty fruit bunch with palm oil mill effluent anaerobic sludge. Bioresource Technology, 147, 632-635.

• Zainudin, M. H. M., Hassan, M. A., Shah, U. K. M., Abdullah, N., Tokura, M., Yasueda, H., Shirai, Y., Sakai, K., & Baharuddin, A. S. (2014). Bacterial community structure and biochemical changes associated with composting of lignocellulosic oil palm empty fruit bunch. BioResources, 9(1), 316-335.

• Zainudin, M. H. M., Ramli, N., Hassan, M. A., Shirai, Y., Tashiro, K., Sakai, K., & Tashiro, Y. (2017). Bacterial community shift for monitoring the co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch and palm oil mill effluent anaerobic sludge. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 44(6), 869-877. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-017-1916-1

• Zervakis, G. I., Koutrotsios, G., & Katsaris, P. (2013). Composted versus Raw olive mill waste as substrates for the production of medicinal mushrooms: An assessment of selected cultivation and quality parameters. BioMed Research International, 2013, Article 546830. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/546830

• Zhou, J. M. (2017). The effect of different C/N ratios on the composting of pig manure and edible fungus residue with rice bran. Compost Science & Utilization, 205(2), 120-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/1065657X.2016.1233081