Compost and biogas residues as basic materials for potting substrates

V., T. C.; Scherer, H. W.

doi:10.17221/445/2012-pse

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…Synthetic polymer particles, such as expanded PS flakes with a size of approx. 5–15 mm (Styromull ® ) and polyurethane (PU) foam, are also used in horticulture to improve soil quality and as composting additive [ 78 , 79 ].…”

Section: Sources Of Microplastics and Routes Of Entry Into The Enviromentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects

2016

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Due to the widespread use and durability of synthetic polymers, plastic debris occurs in the environment worldwide. In the present work, information on sources and fate of microplastic particles in the aquatic and terrestrial environment, and on their uptake and effects, mainly in aquatic organisms, is reviewed. Microplastics in the environment originate from a variety of sources. Quantitative information on the relevance of these sources is generally lacking, but first estimates indicate that abrasion and fragmentation of larger plastic items and materials containing synthetic polymers are likely to be most relevant. Microplastics are ingested and, mostly, excreted rapidly by numerous aquatic organisms. So far, there is no clear evidence of bioaccumulation or biomagnification. In laboratory studies, the ingestion of large amounts of microplastics mainly led to a lower food uptake and, consequently, reduced energy reserves and effects on other physiological functions. Based on the evaluated data, the lowest microplastic concentrations affecting marine organisms exposed via water are much higher than levels measured in marine water. In lugworms exposed via sediment, effects were observed at microplastic levels that were higher than those in subtidal sediments but in the same range as maximum levels in beach sediments. Hydrophobic contaminants are enriched on microplastics, but the available experimental results and modelling approaches indicate that the transfer of sorbed pollutants by microplastics is not likely to contribute significantly to bioaccumulation of these pollutants. Prior to being able to comprehensively assess possible environmental risks caused by microplastics a number of knowledge gaps need to be filled. However, in view of the persistence of microplastics in the environment, the high concentrations measured at some environmental sites and the prospective of strongly increasing concentrations, the release of plastics into the environment should be reduced in a broad and global effort regardless of a proof of an environmental risk.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12302-015-0069-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

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Section: Sources Of Microplastics and Routes Of Entry Into The Enviromentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects

2016

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“…Examples of studies using dried solids include Dubský et al (2019), Do and Scherer (2012) and Ronga et al (2018;. Some do not inform if or how the fibre is handled before use in the growing medium (Bassan et al, 2012;Crippa et al, 2013;Bassan et al, 2014).…”

Section: Use Of Digestatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…High salt and/or unfavourable nutrient supply is another challenge with digestate. Do and Scherer (2012) successfully substituted up to 80% (by volume) of peat with dried digestate fibre of pig manure and crop residues when combined with strongly absorbing 'hygromull', which reduced available salts in the potting mix. Ronga et al (2018; successfully used 100% (by volume) digestate solids, both dried and pelletised, as a growth medium for lettuce and herbs.…”

Section: Use Of Digestatementioning

confidence: 99%

Efficiency of a novel “Food to waste to food” system including anaerobic digestion of food waste and cultivation of vegetables on digestate in a bubble-insulated greenhouse

et al. 2016

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At urban locations certain challenges are concentrated: organic waste production, the need for waste treatment, energy demand, food demand, the need for circular economy and limited area for food production. Based on these factors the project presented here developed a novel technological approach for processing organic waste into new food. In this system, organic waste is converted into biogas and digester residue. The digester residue is being used successfully as a stand-alone fertilizer as well as main substrate component for vegetables and mushrooms for the first time - a "digeponics" system - in a closed new low energy greenhouse system with dynamic soap bubble insulation. Biogas production provides energy for the process and CO2 for the greenhouse. With very limited land use highly efficient resource recycling was established at pilot scale. In the research project it was proven that a low energy dynamic bubble insulated greenhouse can be operated continuously with 80% energy demand reduction compared to conventional greenhouses. Commercial crop yields were achieved based on fertilization with digestate; in individual cases they were even higher than the control yields of vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce among others. For the first time an efficient direct use of digestate as substrate and fertilizer has been developed and demonstrated.

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“…As a consequence of all the above, research into locally available organic and indeed inorganic materials continues apace. Innovative approaches include the use of alternative biomass such as whole pine trees derived from plantation thinning and waste or “slash” from forest residues in the United States (Bilderback et al, 2013; Fields et al, 2014), the manufacture of wood fiber from the oversize fraction of green waste composting in the United Kingdom (Carlile and Waller, 2013), solid digestate from biogas plants (Do and Scherer, 2012; Crippa et al, 2013), and the use of biochar (Altland and Locke, 2013; Zaccheo et al, 2014). Worldwide, much research is focused on the transformation of agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastes (Evans et al, 2011; Raviv, 2013; Moral et al, 2013) into resources that can be used in growing media, with the benefit of diverting wastes from landfills and land spreading, and this approach seems likely in the future to provide large quantities of organic growing media, particularly in arid and semiarid regions of the globe.…”

Section: Environmental Pressures and Change In Patterns Of Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Organic Growing Media: Constituents and Properties

Carlile

Cattivello²,

Zaccheo

2015

Vadose Zone Journal

104

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Organic growing media are essentially bulk products. Availability in large quantity allied to its excellent air and water retention, low pH and salinity, and freedom from pests and diseases has led to peat being the dominant organic constituent of growing media in many parts of the world for the last 50 yr. The unique microporous properties of Sphagnum peat and its resistance to degradation are matched by few other growing media constituents. Nevertheless, local scarcity of Sphagnum peat and the expense of transport has led to the use of other materials in growing media. Notable among these is coir, which unlike peat, a CO2 sink, is widely regarded as a rapidly renewable resource. Indeed, advances in processing and quality control in situ have led to a huge upsurge in the export and use of coir in growing media, particularly in Europe but also in the western United States. Locally available organic materials such as bark, composted materials including green (yard) wastes, municipal solid wastes, and even sewage sludge are also used in growing media. While possessing advantages such as the high air content of bark and nutrient supply of many composted materials, these media components may have disadvantages, from limited supplies due to bioenergy pulls and N lock‐up in bark, to physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants in composts. Current innovative approaches involve increasing use of wood fiber in Europe, whole pine‐tree thinnings in the United States, and realizing the use and transformation of composted wastes as next‐generation constituents of growing media.

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Compost and biogas residues as basic materials for potting substrates

Cited by 13 publications

References 22 publications

Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects

Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects

Efficiency of a novel “Food to waste to food” system including anaerobic digestion of food waste and cultivation of vegetables on digestate in a bubble-insulated greenhouse

Organic Growing Media: Constituents and Properties

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