Effect and its mechanism of potassium persulfate on aerobic composting process of vegetable wastes

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2024-01, Vol.31 (5), p.7111-7121
• Main Authors: Huang, YuYing, Mei, Juan, Duan, EnShuai, Zhu, Ying, Wu, YanZe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodegradation; Composting; Composts; Decomposition; Degradation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electron microscopes; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fermentation; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Fourier transforms; High temperature; Humic substances; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Lignin; Microbial degradation; Microorganisms; Organic fertilizers; Organic matter; Potassium; Potassium persulfate; Research Article; Scanning electron microscopy; surface area; temperature; vegetable residues; Vegetables; Waste Water Technology; Wastes; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31466-9

Vegetable waste (VW) is a potential organic fertilizer resource. As an important way to utilize vegetable wastes, aerobic composting of VW generally has the problems of long fermentation cycle and incomplete decomposition of materials. In this study, 0.3–1.2% of potassium persulfate (KPS) was added to promote the maturity of compost. The results showed that the addition of KPS promoted the degradation of materials, accelerated the temperature rise of compost. KPS also promoted the formation of humic substances (HS). Compared with the control, HS contents of treatments with KPS addition increased by 7.81 ~ 17.52%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis reveal the mechanism of KPS affecting the composting process: KPS stimulated the degradation of various organic substances such as lignin at high temperature stage, and the degradation of lignin could accelerate the release and decomposition of other components; KPS made the structure of the material looser, with more voids and pores, and more specific surface area of the material, which was more suitable for microbial degradation activities. Therefore, the addition of KPS can promote the decomposition of organic matter in the early stage of composting, accelerate the process of thermophilic phase, and shorten the composting process and improve product maturity.