A Novel Approach to Produce Organic Fertilizer from Fish Scraps

Title of Document: A NOVEL APPROACH TO PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZER FROM FISH SCRAPS Armin Norouzi, Master of Science, 2013 Directed By: Y. Martin Lo, Ph.D., Department of Nutrition and Food Science A process was developed using an acidic system to hydrolyze fish protein, followed by a membrane-based separation process to purify and separate the desired liquid portion from the remaining solid prior to deodorization using activated bamboo charcoal and Zero Valet Iron. 85.97 percent of initial protein was recovered into the final product. Acidic hydrolysis and innovative deodorization method alleviated unpleasant odor of the fish hydolyzate (FH) by reducing the most important volatile compounds of the FH. Employing buffer system elongated the shelf life of final product compared to solely acid system. The results of field trials of the deodorized hydrolyzed fish fertilizer showed the product led to more yield and less sprouts and stalk in the fertilized plants compared to three other commercially available fertilizers. This is promising especially for organic farming due to more yields and less waste in the plants. A NOVEL APPROACH TO PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZER FROM FISH SCRAPS