To ensure quick and uniform aerobic stabilization of biowaste through domestic composting and to prevent malodorous emissions, two modifications were made to a conventional steel barrel composter by: (1) providing 0.0125 m diameter openings throughout the sides and (2) placing a 0.0254 m diameter perforated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe in the middle portion of the barrel. The volume of composting waste before modification of the composting barrel was 40% of the original volume and it was 70%, 4 weeks following the modifications. In addition, the nutrients in the compost were found to be in a more suitable range after modification of the composting barrel. The carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N) of the compost was in the ideal range of 11-15 in the modified composting reactor but it was quite high (24-25) in the conventional barrel. This modified barrel composting plant proved to be an efficient, eco-friendly, cost-effective solution for the management of organic solid waste materials in developing and technologically less sophisticated countries such as Bangladesh.
This study evaluated bioelectricity generation by using kitchen garbage (KG) and bamboo waste (BW) as a solid waste management option by a microbial fuel cell (MFC) method. The nutrient content [nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK)] of the by-products of bioelectricity were also analyzed and assessed for their potential use as a soil amendment. A one-chamber MFC was used for bioelectricity generation in laboratory experiments using both KG and BW. A data-logger recorded voltage every 20 mins at a constant room temperature of 25°C over 45 days. The trend of voltage generation was different for the two organic wastes. In the case of KG, the voltage at the initial stage (0-5 days) increased rapidly and then gradually to a peak of 620 mV. In contrast, the voltage increased gradually to a peak of 540 mV in the case of BW. The by-products of bioelectricity can be used as soil conditioner as its NPK content was in the range of soil conditioner mentioned in other literature. Thus, the MFC has emerged as an efficient and eco-friendly solution for organic waste management, especially in developing and technologically less sophisticated countries, and can provide green and safe electricity from organic waste.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.