Experimental determination of carbon dioxide evolution during aerobic composting of agro-wastes

This work aims at optimal composting of agro-wastes like sugarcane bagasse, wood straw and soya husk. A mixture of these substances along with small quantity of food waste as the seed was composted aerobically and carbon dioxide evolved was determined experimentally using a composting system comprising aerobic digester, operating in near-optimal conditions with regard to adequacy of oxygen and temperature in the system. During aerobic composting of agro-waste carbon dioxide is produced due to degradation of different carbon fractions in the substrate. Carbon dioxide production rate, which is a measure of bacterial/fungal activity in composting systems, can be related to various process parameters like different carbon fractions present in the substrate and their reaction rates, progress and termination of compost phenomenon and stabilization of organic matter. This gives a balanced compromise between complexity of mathematical model and extensive experimentation, and can be used for determining optimum conditions for composting.