Split Addition of Nitrogen-Rich Substrate at Thermophilic and Mesophilic Stages of Composting: Effect on Green House Gases Emission and Quality of Compost

Composting as a solution to the increasing generation of municipal solid waste (MSW), also contribute to GHGs emission when not controlled and could lack some basic nutrients, especially nitrogen. This study assessed the split-additions of nitrogen-rich substrate to composting materials and their effect on GHGs emissions as well as the quality of the composts. Nitrogen-rich substrates formulated from pig and goat manure were co-composted with MSW for a 12-weeks period by split adding at mesophilic (˚C) and thermophilic (>50˚C) stages in five different treatments. Representative samples from the compost were taken from each treatment for physicochemical, heavy metals and bacteriological analysis. In-situ CH4, CO2, N2O gas emissions were also analyzed weekly during composting. It was observed that all the treatments showed significant organic matter decomposition, reaching thermophilic temperatures in the first week of composting. The absence affects the suitable agronomic properties. All nitrogen-rich substrate applied at thermophilic stage (Treatment two) recorded the highest N, P and K concentrations of 1.34%, 0.97% and 2.45%, respectively with highest nitrogen retention. In terms of GHG emissions, CO2 was highest at the thermophilic stage when N-rich substrate was added in all treatment, while CH4 was highest in the mesophilic stage with N-rich substrate addition. N2O showed no specific trend in the treatments. Split addition of the N-rich substrate for co-composting of MSW produced compost which is stable, has less nutrient loss and low GHG emissions. Split addition of a nitrogen-rich substrate could be an option for increasing the fertilizer value of MSW compost.

Assessment of the Characteristics of the Municipal Solid Waste Compost in Lebanon

Waste management is crucial due to the fast increase of human population, causing an increase in solid waste generation which if not properly managed causes environmental problems. Around 57% of the wastes generated from homes are made up of green material (fruits, vegetables…). Thus, reusing and recycling green wastes through composting is one way of reducing the waste load to landfills. Composting is the transformation of raw organic materials into organic soil amendments that provide nutrients to crops and enhance the tilth, fertility, and productivity of soils. Aerobic windrow composting system at Sukomi Greensite facility located at Karantina is performed, where materials biodegrade under controlled conditions to produce compost. However, assessment of the quality of the compost is fundamental in order to determine its usages. Thus, regular testing of physical, chemical and biological parameters was performed for adequate monitoring purposes. The basic objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of the Lebanese municipal solid waste compost on a yearly basis and compare these characteristics amongst the years. Hence, each parameter was tested and compared to the BNQ international Canadian standards for proper classification of the compost and adequate identification of its usages. The preliminary data obtained were statistically diagnosed through principal component analysis by Spadv55 software. All the data reflected the normal content value of the studied parameters with minor differences between the years except for year 2007 which demonstrated higher levels of Potassium, Phosphate, Lead and Cadmium. The characteristics of the compost enabled it to be used as a soil amendment on all types of agricultural and landscape commodities at the adequate dosages and proper timing. This data will additionally reflect the efficiency of the solid waste management practices adopted via highlighting the importance of the implementation of the integrated solid waste management practices.

Analysis of the Fertilizing and Bioremediation Potential of Leaf Litter Compost Amendment in Different Soils through Indexing Method

This research study explored the efficacy of leaf litter compost as a sustainable soil amendment with the objective of promoting soil health and mitigating the accumulation of potentially toxic elements. The investigation encompassed the impact of various organic compost amendments, including leaf compost, cow dung manure, kitchen waste compost, municipal organic waste compost, and vermicompost. The study employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to evaluate soil nutrient levels and concentrations of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) such as arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, and lithium. The fertilization and bioremediation potential of these compost amendments are quantified using an indexing method. Results indicated a substantial increase in overall nutrient levels (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur) in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic composts. Fertility indices (FI) are notably higher in compost-amended soils (ranging from 2.667 to 3.938) compared to those amended with chemical fertilizers (ranging from 2.250 to 2.813) across all soil samples. Furthermore, the mean concentrations of PTEs were significantly lower in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic compost amendments compared to those treated with chemical fertilizers amendments. The assessment through the indexing method revealed a high clean index (CI) for leaf compost amendment (ranging from 3.407 to 3.58), whereas the chemical fertilizer amendment exhibits a relatively lower CI (ranging from 2.78 to 3.20). Consequently, leaf compost and other organic composts exhibit the potential to enhance sustainable productivity, promoting soil health and environmental safety by improving nutrient levels and remediating potentially toxic elements in the soil.

Microbiological parameters and maturity degree during composting of Posidonia oceanica residues mixed with vegetable wastes in semi-arid pedo-climatic condition

The aim of this study was to characterize the biological stability and maturity degree of compost during a controlled pile-composting trial of mixed vegetable residues （VR） collected from markets of Tunis City with residues of Posidonia oceanica （PoR）, collected from Tunis beaches. The accumulation in beaches （as well as their removal） constitutes a serious environmental problem in all Mediterranean countries particularly in Tunisia. Aerobic-thermophilic composting is the most reasonable way to profit highly-valuable content of organic matter in these wastes for agricultural purposes. The physical, chemical, and biological parameters were monitored during composting over 150 d. The most appropriate parameters were selected to establish the maturity degree. The main result of this research was the deduction of the following maturity criterion： （a） C/N ratio 〈 15; （b） NH4^＋-N 〈 400 mg/kg; （c） CO2-C 〈 2000 mg CO2-C/kg; （d） dehydrogenase activity 〈 1 mg TPF/g dry matter; （e） germination index （GI） 〉 80%. These five parameters, considered jointly are indicative of a high maturity degree and thus of a high-quality organic amendment which employed in a rational way, may improve soil fertility and soil quality. The mature compost was relatively rich in N （13.0 g/kg）, P （4.74 g/kg） and MgO （15.80 g/kg）. Thus composting definitively constitutes the most optimal option to exploit these wastes.

Effect of four crop straws on transformation of organic matter during sewage sludge composting

A 45-d laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the effect of four crop straws on the transformations of organic matter （OM） during composting of sewage sludge. The four crop straws included rape straw, wheat straw, maize straw and rice straw. The following parameters such as temperature, OM, humic-like substances （HS）, fulvic-like acids （FA） and humic-like acids （HA） were determined. The degradation of OM and the formation of HS and HA could be described well by the first-order kinetic model, while the FA content fluctuated during composting. The maximal degradation rates of OM in the compost piles added with rape straw, wheat straw, maize straw and rice straw were 34.7, 46.9, 54.7 and 52.8%, respectively, and the final contents of HS were 118, 128, 141 and 134 g kg-1, respectively, while the humification indices were higher in the compost piles added with maize straw and wheat straw than in those with rice straw and rape straw. The results indicate that a higher hemicellulose content and a lower C/N ratio in crop straw can result in a higher rate of OM degradation and higher contents of HS, while a higher content of lignin can lead to a higher polymerization degree of humic substances in compost piles. The final compost piles added with maize straw has the highest contents of OM, total nitrogen and humus substance as well as the highest values of polymerization degree, while compost piles with rape straw have the highest potassium content and those with rice straw have the highest pH values.

Changes of Cu, Zn, and Cd speciation in sewage sludge during composting

The potential toxicity risks from heavy metals depend on their chemical speciation. The four stages of the Tessier sequential extraction method were employed to investigate changes in heavy metal speciation （Cu, Zn, and Cd） of sewage sludge during forced aeration composting, and then to identify whether the composting process would reduce or enhance their toxicities. Throughout the composting process, the exchangeable, carbonate-bound, Fe-Mn oxide-bound, and organic matter-bound fractions of Cu were converted to the residual Cu fraction. The organic matter-bound Cu fraction greatly contributed to this transformation. Residual Zn fraction was transformed to the Fe-Mn oxide-bound and organic matter-bound fractions after composting. The residual Zn fraction was a major contributor to the organic matter-bound Zn fraction. The availability of Cu and Zn was reduced by composting such that the risk of heavy metal toxicity decreased with prolonged treatment times. Additionally, attention should be paid to the increased availability of Cd in sewage sludge after composting treatment.

Fluorescence characteristic changes of dissolved organic matter during municipal solid waste composting

Dissolved organic matter（DOM） of municipal solid waste（MSW） consists of minerals, water, ash and humic substances, and is known to enhance plant growth. In this study, inoculating microbes（Z J, MS） were used in municipal solid wastes composting, and composting implemented a industrialized technology. During composting, dissolved organic matter was extracted from the compost and purified. The spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter was determined by fluorescence emission, excitation, and synchronous spectroscopy. Fluorescence emission, excitation, and synchronous spectra characterized by different relative fluorescent intensities and peaks over time. Fluorescence spectra were similar to that of fulvic acid in sewage sludge, indicating the presence of dissolved organic matter with aromatic structures and a high degree of molecular polymerization. Compared with the controls with no microbial inoculation, the microbe-inoculated treatments exhibited the increase of aromatic polycondensation, in the following order： MS ＋ ZJ 〉 ZJ 〉 MS 〉 CK.

Nitrogen transformations during pig manure composting

Composting is now suggested as one of the environmentally and friendly alternative method for disposal of solid organic wastes, as it leads to minimization, stabilization, and utilization of organic waste. Transformations of nitrogen were investigated in co-composting of pig manure with different amendments, such as sawdust and leaves. Samples were analyzed for pH, total-N, soluble NH4-N, soluble NO3-N and soluble organic-N. The total-N increased after 63 days of composting, as well as the soluble NO3-N and soluble organic-N. Soluble NH4,-N increased significantly and showed peak values at day 7, thereafter decreased sharply and gradually to lower levels. Seed germination index (GI) showed that co-composting of pig manure with sawdust reached maturity after 49 days of composting, while co-composting of pig manure with sawdust and leases required shorter time for 35 days. Soluble NH4-N was significantly negatively ( P < 0.05) , while soluble NO3-N and soluble organic-N were significantly positively ( P < 0.05), correlated with seed germination index (GI). Addition of leaves in co-composting of pig manure with sawdust had no significant impacts on nitrogen transformations, but it was beneficial for maturity of pig manure compost.

Effect of bio-surfactant on municipal solid waste composting process

Bio-surfactant is a new type of surfactant that is produced in microbial metabolism. Adding bio-surfactant during composting process, especially to those contain some toxic substances, has been proved to be a promising way. In this study, Strains Ⅲ(2), a bacterial with high activity to produce bio-surfactant, were isolated firstly. Following comparison experiments with and without adding Strains Ⅲ(2), namely Run 1 and Run R, were conducted, respectively. The experimental results showed that, by adding Strains Ⅲ(2), the surface tension could reduce from 46.5 mN/m to 39.8 mN/m and the corresponding time to maintain the surface tension under 50 mN/m could prolong from 60 h to 90 h. The oxygen uptake rate and total accumulated oxygen consumption with Stains Ⅲ(2) were both higher than those without Strains Ⅲ(2), while the accumulation of H_2S in outlet gas was reduced to around 50% of Run R. Moreover, two additional experiments were also carried out to examine the effects of strains coming from different systems. One is adding Strains Ⅲ(2) with a dose of 0.4%(Run 2), and the other is seedling commercial Strains at the same conditions, the composting experiments showed that: Run 2 was more effective than Run 3, because the commercial Strains can be suppressed significantly in a complex composting system with different pH, high temperature and some of metals. The bio-surfactant was also added into the solid waste, which contained some toxic substances, the corresponding results showed that the remove rate of Hg and sodium pentachlorophenolate(PCP-Na) could be improved highly. Thus, the microenvironment, reactionrate and composting quality could be enhanced effectively by adding bio-surfactant to the composting process.

Bioremediation of Soil Contaminated with Petroleum Using Forced-Aeration Composting

Laboratory simulation studies and a composting pilot study were conducted to evaluate the capacityof three strains of fungi, indigenous fungus Fusarium sp. and Phanerochaete chrysosporium and CoriolusVersicolor, to remediate petroleum- contaminated soils. In laboratory, the fungi were inoculated into a liquidculture medium and the petroleum-contaminated soil samples for incubation of 40 and 50 days 5 respectively.In the 200-day pilot study, nutrient contents and moisture were adjusted and maintained under aerobiccondition in composting units using concrete container (118.5 cm × 65.5 cm × 12.5 cm) designed speciallyfor this study. The laboratory simulation results showed that all the three fungi were effective in degradingpetroleum in the liquid culture medium and in the soil. At the end of both the laboratory incubations, thedegradation rates by Phanerochaete chrysosporium were the highest, reaching 66% after incubation in liquidculture for 50 days. This was further

Changes in Phosphorus Fractions and Nitrogen Forms During Composting of Pig Manure with Rice Straw

The study was conducted to reveal P fractions and N forms changing characters during composting of pig manure with rice straw.During composting,the NH 4 ＋-N concentration decreased and reached at a relatively low value（〈400 mg kg-1） in the final compost,while the NO 3--N concentration increased.Total N losses mainly occurred during thermophilic phase due to the high temperature,the high NH 4 ＋-N concentration and the increase of pH value.Labile inorganic P was dominated in the pig manure and initial compost mixture.During composting,the proportion of labile inorganic P of total extracted P decreased,while the proportion of Fe＋Al-bound P,Ca＋Mg-bound P and residual P increased.The evolutions of the proportion of labile inorganic P,Fe＋Al-bound P and Ca＋Mg-bound P were well correlated with the changes of pH value,organic matter and C/N ratio.Therefore,composting could increase the concentration of N and P and decrease the presence of NH 4 ＋-N and labile P fractions which might cause environmental issues following land application.

Optimal turning method of composting regarding hygienic safety

The new turning method was proposed and verified its effectiveness to pathogens by laboratory scale experiments. Considering the results obtained from the previous studies, it could be said that turning of a composting pile was essential in terms of hygienic aspects but the number of turning should be minimized. Effectiveness of inactivation was estimated for each composting run. From this estimation, turning by layers, which is different from conventional turning that mixes compost pile entirely, was proposed and investigated its performance by experiments. Composting operations with static pile method, complete mix(conventional) turning method, and proposed turning(layer turning) method were done and their effectiveness on inactivation of indicator microorganism was evaluated and compared. As results, the conventional turning method was not a proper method in terms of pathogen inactivation, whereas, the proposed turning method showed an excellent performance and should be employed in a composting operation.

Application of Potent Actinomycete Strains for Bio-Degradation of Domestic Agro-Waste by Composting and Treatment of Pulp-Paper Mill Effluent

Actinomycetes are known to produce an extensive range of bioactive compounds as well as variety of enzymes having multiple biotechnological applications. They are an important source of lignocellulose hydrolyzing enzymes and constitute considerable proportion of the soil or aquatic micro-flora responsible for degradation of biomass in natural environment. Presently, most of the commercially exploited lignocellulases and commercial biodegradation processes rely mostly on fungal or bacterial micro-organisms. Actinomycetes are relatively less explored for biodegradation processes that utilize lignocellulases for solid agro-waste management and waste water treatment. There is also a need to search and explore novel actinomycete strains for various biodegradation applications. This study involved examining the possibility of using only potent actinomycetes strains for the composting process by creating the consortium of such strains that could produce thermo-tolerant and alkali-tolerant key enzymes necessary for the degradation of cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin. The newly developed actinomycete consortium was tested for the composting activity and the composting process was optimized. The analysis of the composted material generated under ideal condition, demonstrated desirable physical and chemical characteristics. Paper pulp effluent poses a hazard to waterways due to toxicity. The toxicity of this mill effluent can be attributed to a compound called lignin and its chlorinated derivatives that are let out during the treatment of lignocellulosic constituents. Current study also involves the use of a strain of actinomycete having ability to produce enzyme laccase, which is active under alkaline condition for the treatment of paper pulp effluent. Enzyme laccase is known for its ability to attack phenolic components of lignin and common hazardous component of effluent, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Aerobic treatment of effluent by actinomycete strain indicated 21% reduction in COD at pH 7.5 after 14 days under optimum condition. This strain was identified as Streptomyces rochei based on molecular fingerprinting and was reported to be the producer of laccase probably for the first time. LCMS analysis of the treated effluent sample showed the presence of degradation compounds forming after 7 and 14 days of treatment. These compounds showed the degradation of lignin components and other phenolic, non-phenolic components of the effluent by intra molecular re-arrangement, oxidation and ring opening reactions. Overall, potent thermo-tolerant and alkali-tolerant actinomycete strains were successfully isolated and applied for bio-degradation of domestic agro-waste by composting and treatment of pulp-paper mill effluent. The consortium of these strains may be further utilized for scale-up studies in order to assess its commercial feasibility for biodegradation processes.

Formation of Struvite Crystals in a Simulated Food Waste Aerobic Composting Process

Bench-scale treatments with three mixtures of Mg and P salts, including K3PO4＋MgSO4, K2HPO4＋MgSO4, and KH2PO4＋MgSO4 as additives in a simulated food waste aerobic composting process, were conducted to test the magnesium ammonium phosphate（MAP） formation, and the compost products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction（XRD）, Scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy（EDS） analyses. The comparison results between XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses of MAPs in the dried compost and synthesized MAPs confirm the formation of MAP crystals in the simulated food waste aerobic composting process. The analysis of the compost also indicates that the addition of all the three mixtures of Mg and P salts in the aerobic composting process can increase nitrogen conservation and decrease nitrogen loss because of the formation of MAPs. The mechanism of MAP formation was verified as the reaction of ammonium（NH4＋） with magnesium（Mg^2＋） and phosphate[HnPO4^（3-n） , n=0, 1, and 2）.

Effects of different loading rates and types of biochar on passivations of Cu and Zn via swine manure composting

Pollution of arable land caused by heavy metals in livestock and poultry manure has become a potential threaten to human health in China.Safe disposal of the contained toxic pollution with animal manure by co-composting with biochar is one of the alternative methods.Biochars from different sources(wheat straw,peanut shells and rice husks)amended with different loading rates were investigated for passivations of copper and zinc(Cu and Zn)in swine manure composting.Results showed that the passivation effects of the three types of biochar on Cu and Zn were enhanced with increasing biochar dose.Contents of Cu and Zn measured by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid(DTPA)and Community Bureau of Reference(CBR)showed that wheat straw biochar with the loading rates of 10%–13%(w/w)was superior to the other two types of biochar in this study.Compared with the control,sample from wheat straw biochar was more favorable for the bacterial growth of Proteobacteria,Firmicutes and Actinobacteria.In addition,pot experiment showed that organic fertilizer amended with wheat straw biochar could significantly improve the growth of Chinese pakchoi and enzyme activities(superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,polyphenol oxidase and catalase)as compared with the control.Cu and Zn contents of Chinese pakchoi in the organic fertilizer group containing wheat straw biochar reduced by 73.2%and 45.2%,65.8%and 33.6%,respectively,compared with the group without loading biochar.There was no significant difference in the contents of vitamin C and reducing sugar between the groups of organic fertilizer amended with/without wheat straw biochar,however,there was significant difference compared with the heavy metal addition group.The application of organic fertilizer formed by adding biochar can effectively reduce the adverse effects of heavy metals on crops.

Phosphate rock reduces the bioavailability of heavy metals by influencing the bacterial communities during aerobic composting

Available information on the microbial mechanisms associated with heavy metal(HM)passivation during co-composting amended with phosphate rock(PR)remains limited.Thus,this study investigated the dynamic changes in bacterial communities and HM-fractions(Zn,Cu,Cd,Cr and Pb)during swine manure composting with maize straw,and ascertained the bacterial influence on HM-passivation.The results demonstrated that the addition of PR improved HM-passivation,especially for Zn and Cd,with their bioavailability factors(BFs)reduced by 247.41 and 176.25%,respectively.As for bacterial communities,the proportion of Firmicutes decreased,while the proportions of Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,DeinococcusThermus and Gemmatimonadetes increased in all treatments.PR significantly changed the primary bacterial phyla in the thermophilic phase.Bacteroidetes were the main bacterial component controlling the passivation of Zn,Cu and Cr,while Deinococcus-Thermus mainly regulated the mobility of Zn and Pb,and Proteobacteria only dominated the transformation among Cd-fractions.These results may provide a reference for the use of HM-passivation techniques during composting.

Effect of Post-Treatment Conditions on the Inactivation of MS2 Bacteriophage as Indicator for Pathogenic Viruses after the Composting Process

A rural model composting toilet system still had some pathogens in the compost after months of operation and hence requires a post-treatment. The aim of the study was to sanitize compost withdrawn from the composting toilet by setting post-treatment conditions. The kinetics inactivation of MS2 bacteriophage, selected as indicator for pathogenic viruses were determined during post-treatment at different temperatures (30°C, 40°C and 50°C) with varying moisture contents (50%, 60% and 70%). As a result, the inactivation rates during the post-treatment were 0.093 - 0.020 h-1, 0.025 - 0.088 h1, 0.447 - 0.100 h-1 at 30°C, 40°C and 50°C respectively. The inactivation rate coefficient (k) values of MS2 bacteriophage depended on higher temperature but not on moisture content.

Composting Constraints and Prospects in Bangladesh: A Review

Composting is a suitable environment-friendly technique to modify organic waste to organic fertilizers and works as soil conditioners by regulating different biological processes. The main objective of a sustainable agricultural production system can be achieved by using quality compost and thereby improving soil health and increased crop yield. This desktop research summarizes the role of composting for sustainable agricultural development with their prospective role, opportunities, and challenges in the context of Bangladesh. Some attention is also given to the composting process and compost industries in Bangladesh. Benefits and constraints regarding the use of compost for achieving sustainable agricultural production systems are also discussed.

Microbial community dynamics during composting of animal manures contaminated with arsenic,copper,and oxytetracycline

Effects of the heavy metal copper(Cu), the metalloid arsenic(As), and the antibiotic oxytetracycline(OTC) on bacterial community structure and diversity during cow and pig manure composting were investigated. Eight treatments were applied, four to each manure type, namely cow manure with:(1) no additives(control),(2) addition of heavy metal and metalloid,(3) addition of OTC and(4) addition of OTC with heavy metal and metalloid;and pig manure with:(5) no additives(control),(6) addition of heavy metal and metalloid,(7) addition of OTC and(8) addition of OTC with heavy metal and metalloid. After 35 days of composting, according to the alpha diversity indices, the combination treatment(OTC with heavy metal and metalloid) in pig manure was less harmful to microbial diversity than the control or heavy metal and metalloid treatments. In cow manure, the treatment with heavy metal and metalloid was the most harmful to the microbial community, followed by the combination and OTC treatments. The OTC and combination treatments had negative effects on the relative abundance of microbes in cow manure composts. The dominant phyla in both manure composts included Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. The microbial diversity relative abundance transformation was dependent on the composting time. Redundancy analysis(RDA) revealed that environmental parameters had the most influence on the bacterial communities. In conclusion, the composting process is the most sustainable technology for reducing heavy metal and metalloid impacts and antibiotic contamination in cow and pig manure. The physicochemical property variations in the manures had a significant effect on the microbial community during the composting process. This study provides an improved understanding of bacterial community composition and its changes during the composting process.

Effects of anaerobic composting on tetracycline degradation in swine manure

Oxytetracycline(OTC) and tetracycline(TC) are the most common TC antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine.Residual amounts of these antibiotics in manure pose a potential threat to public and ecological health as a result of the potential for them to be released to the environment following land application of manure from animals treated with antibiotics.We investigated the degradation of OTC and TC during anaerobic composting.We tested the effects of temperature and antibiotic concentration on degradation rates in a control and in manure spiked with TCs.We examined changes in p H,biological degradation material(BDM),and moisture corresponding with antibiotic degradation of TCs in the swine manure.Results showed that the OTC and TC concentrations decreased by between 68.54% and 95.50% in all nine treatments following 14 days of anaerobic composting,and the highest removal ef ficiencies were observed at an incubation temperature of 55°C and initial concentrations of 10.36 μg·g^(-1),and 5.96 μg·g^(-1) of OTC and TC,respectively,which were degraded by 95.50%,and 90.06%.During composting at 55 °C and at added concentrations of 5 μg·g^(-1),OTC decreased rapidly,and the time required for50% and 90% degradation was 4.1 and 9.8 days,respectively;for TC,these values were 4.4 and 14.0 days,respectively.Removal ef ficiencies for all TCs correlated well with moisture content of the manure.These results show that composting may be a practical and useful means to reduce concentrations of OTC and TC in swine manure prior to its land application.