Effect of Upstream Bioactivation of Plant Residues to Accelerate the Composting Process and Improve Product Quality

Composting is considered an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative for plant waste management, resulting in compost, a high value-added product. During the process, microorganisms play crucial role as organic matter-degrading agents. However, highly recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose present residues sets challenge to involved process. Therefore, objective this study was evaluate effect lignocellulolytic microbial consortium, previously selected composting processes, promote improve biodegradability residues. For purpose, laboratory-scale inoculation strategy optimized by applying different strains doses Bacillus spp., well incubation times. Subsequently, impact application consortium on material pretreatment real process evaluated. Samples from both experiments were subjected evaluation parameters related biodegradation lignocellulosic fraction, addition those stability maturity compost. The inoculum proved be effective promoting bioactivation material, favoring higher respirometric rate during pretreatment. In case, with B. safensis at resulted AT4 values than observed rest treatments after ten days incubation, while licheniformis inoculated lower able maintain days, compared samples analyzed. Additionally, continuous decrease percentage hemicellulose that could detected until end period (thirty days), reaching rates close 40%. On other hand, although did not significantly affect basic conditioning beginning (organic matter, C/N ratio, moisture), change dynamics fractions evolution parameters, particular index lignin/holocellulose revealing acceleration bio-oxidative phase full-scale treatment proposed activate better-quality products.