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A novel biochar-augmented enzymatic process for conversion of food waste to biofertilizers: Planting trial with leafy
Yishuai Jiang1, Xiaoyuan Zhang2, Lei An2
1Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Clean Tech One, Singapore 637141, Singapore; Environmental Sustainability Team, Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore, 19 Changi Business Park Crescent, Singapore 489690, Singapore.
Abstract:
The present study developed a novel biochar-augmented enzymatic approach for fast conversion of food waste to solid and liquid biofertilizers. By augmented with 10 % of biochar and mediated with 5 % of food waste-derived hydrolytic enzymes mixture (i.e. fungal mash), 100 kg of food waste could be converted into 22.3 kg of solid biofertilizer with a water content of 30 % and 55.0 kg of liquid biofertilizer, which fulfilled Chinese national standards for solid and liquid organic biofertilizers, respectively. Field plantation results showed that the Pak Choi grown on food waste-derived biofertilizers was comparable with that on commercial ones, in terms of the vegetable productivity and nutrient contents. It was further revealed that the application of food waste-derived biofertilizers did not change soil chemical properties but enriched microbial diversity. This study clearly indicated that the biochar-augmented enzymatic approach for food waste conversion to biofertilizers was technically feasible and economically viable towards circular agriculture economy.
