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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Temperature Response of Soil Organic Matter Decomposition Rates: Construction and Applications of a Temperature Gradient Block
Published on: January 30, 2026
Low pH as an inhibiting factor in the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic phase in composting
C Sundberg1, S Smårs, H Jönsson
1Department of Biometry and Engineering, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. cecilia.sundberg@lt.slu.se
Abstract:
During composting of household waste, the acidity of the material affects the process during the initial phase of rising temperature. In this study, the effects of temperature (36-46 degrees C) and pH (4.6-9.2) on the respiration rate during the early phase of composting were investigated in two different composts. A respiration method where small compost samples were incubated at constant temperature was used. The respiration rate was strongly reduced at 46 degrees C and pH below 6, compared to composts with a higher pH or lower temperature. The combination of high temperature and low pH is a possible adverse factor in large-scale composting of food waste.
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