Interval aeration improves degradation and humification by enhancing microbial interactions in the composting process

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Waste Management

Background:

• Food waste composting requires optimized aeration for efficient degradation and humification.
• Understanding microbial mechanisms is crucial for improving composting strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal aeration strategy for food waste composting.
• To elucidate the microbial mechanisms underlying efficient composting.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five full-scale food waste composting trials with varying aeration frequencies.
• Analyzed degradation rates, humus content, and microbial community interactions.

Main Results:

• Interval aeration (20 min aeration, 10 min pause) yielded the highest degradation rate (77.2%) and humus content (29.3%).
• This strategy significantly increased microbial interactions (1.30-fold) and the abundance of Thermobifida (1.2 times).
• Thermobifida was identified as a key genus for positive microbial cohesion.

Conclusions:

• Interval aeration is an effective strategy for enhancing food waste composting efficiency.
• Optimized aeration promotes beneficial microbial interactions and humification processes.
• Targeting specific microbial genera like Thermobifida can improve composting outcomes.