Investigation of Biological Processes Aimed at Improving the Quality of Compost from Bio-Waste

Exclusively aerobic and integrated anaerobic with post-aerobic treatments of bio-waste generated in a given waste management area were compared with respect to the quality of the final compost. Pilot-scale apparatuses were used for reproducing static aerated pile composting and solid anaerobic digestion batch (SADB) for the anaerobic pre-treatment. Compost was assessed according to the organic carbon content and humic and fulvic acid concentrations. Different runs for the integrated anaerobic and post-composting treatment were also performed to evaluate the effect of SADB inoculation. Inoculated SADB results in a very intensive pre-treatment of the bio-waste leading to the production of a compost with a lower organic carbon content < 24% TS. On the contrary the compost arising from the integrated anaerobic and post-composting process in which SADB was not inoculated gave the maximum organic carbon content, up to 30% TS. Similarly the compost