Acceleration effects of microbial inoculum on palm oil mill organic waste composting.

• Main Authors: Chin, Nyuk Ling, Yeoh, Chui Yen, Tan, C. S., Ooi, H. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/23249/1/Acceleration%20effects%20of%20microbial%20inoculum%20on%20palm%20oil%20mill%20organic%20waste%20composting.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/23249/

ABSTRACT The acceleration effects of inoculum in composting of empty fruit bunches were investigated. Composting of empty fruit bunches fibres in two sizes, 4 cm and 2 cm length, were treated with microbial inoculum consisting of Agromonas, Aspergillus, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Celhdomonas, Chaetomium, Clostridium, Coprinus, Microbispora, Penicillium, Pseudomonas, Thermoactinomyces, Trichoderma and Trichurus in separate laboratory scale in-vessel of 30 liters volume. A control without inoculum with 4 cm length empty fruit bunches was also conducted in parallel. The compost piles were shift-turned weekly. Parameters such as moisture content, temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity were used to monitor the composting processes. The carbon-nitrogen ratio, UV-vis spectrophotometer test, and germination test were used to assess the maturity of compost. The results showed that the inoculum was effective in reducing the C/N ratio by 54% compared to control 46% and rapidly increasing the UV-vis absorption ratio in first three weeks. By using functional microbes, the composting of empty fruit bunches was reduced to 5 weeks compared to 9 weeks for those without inoculation. The acceleration effect was more prominent for the 2 cm length samples.