Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries
Purpose Market crop waste (MCW) contributes significantly to the quantity of municipal solid waste generated in sub-Saharan Africa. These wastes, however, contain high levels of plant nutrients which can be harnessed through composting to improve soil organic matter and nutrient status of impoverish...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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OICC Press
2023-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijrowa.isfahan.iau.ir/article_697015_cea58022d3ee7468029d9ee5334348ab.pdf |
| _version_ | 1826953188658380800 |
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| author | Asiwome Akumah Eric Nartey Godfred Ofosu-Budu Ebenezer Ewusie Esther Abusah Noah Adamtey |
| author_facet | Asiwome Akumah Eric Nartey Godfred Ofosu-Budu Ebenezer Ewusie Esther Abusah Noah Adamtey |
| author_sort | Asiwome Akumah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose Market crop waste (MCW) contributes significantly to the quantity of municipal solid waste generated in sub-Saharan Africa. These wastes, however, contain high levels of plant nutrients which can be harnessed through composting to improve soil organic matter and nutrient status of impoverished tropical soils.Method In this work, annual MCWs from two urban markets in Accra, Ghana were characterized by quantifying their seasonal availabilities, primary nutrients, heavy metals concentrations and level of microbial contamination to ascertain their suitability or otherwise for composting.Results Waste generated in the rainy seasons was higher than in the dry seasons. Primary nutrients sequestered in the MCW collected were 211.1 kg N, 1.84 kg P and 89.66 kg K for both markets. Feedstock quality analysis showed heavy metal levels in the MCW were far below the contaminant levels. Moisture content of vegetable and fruit waste was 74.34 - 90.46% and far above the desired level of aerobic composting. Pathogen levels of 5.92 CFU/g E. coli and 5.41 CFU/g Salmonella in cocoyam leaves; 6.27 CFU/g total coliform and 4.74 CFU/g Enterococcus in cabbage were detected and found to be above the maximum contaminant level as per USEPA standard.Conclusion Use of cassava, plantain peduncle and corn husk as bulking agents with vegetable and fruit waste as N, P and K sources should serve as feedstock for good quality compost production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:18:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75b54da4b4b14ae1bcde86a89d925413 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2195-3228 2251-7715 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-17T23:18:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | OICC Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-75b54da4b4b14ae1bcde86a89d9254132024-12-02T06:34:07ZengOICC PressInternational Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture2195-32282251-77152023-07-0112340942310.30486/ijrowa.2022.1954818.1431697015Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countriesAsiwome Akumah0Eric Nartey1Godfred Ofosu-Budu2Ebenezer Ewusie3Esther Abusah4Noah Adamtey5Department of Agro Enterprise Development, Ho Technical University, P.O. Box HP 217, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Soil Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 245, Legon Accra, GhanaDepartment of Crop Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 44, Legon Accra, GhanaBiotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Ho Technical University, P.O. Box HP 217, Ho, GhanaResearch Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), SwitzerlandPurpose Market crop waste (MCW) contributes significantly to the quantity of municipal solid waste generated in sub-Saharan Africa. These wastes, however, contain high levels of plant nutrients which can be harnessed through composting to improve soil organic matter and nutrient status of impoverished tropical soils.Method In this work, annual MCWs from two urban markets in Accra, Ghana were characterized by quantifying their seasonal availabilities, primary nutrients, heavy metals concentrations and level of microbial contamination to ascertain their suitability or otherwise for composting.Results Waste generated in the rainy seasons was higher than in the dry seasons. Primary nutrients sequestered in the MCW collected were 211.1 kg N, 1.84 kg P and 89.66 kg K for both markets. Feedstock quality analysis showed heavy metal levels in the MCW were far below the contaminant levels. Moisture content of vegetable and fruit waste was 74.34 - 90.46% and far above the desired level of aerobic composting. Pathogen levels of 5.92 CFU/g E. coli and 5.41 CFU/g Salmonella in cocoyam leaves; 6.27 CFU/g total coliform and 4.74 CFU/g Enterococcus in cabbage were detected and found to be above the maximum contaminant level as per USEPA standard.Conclusion Use of cassava, plantain peduncle and corn husk as bulking agents with vegetable and fruit waste as N, P and K sources should serve as feedstock for good quality compost production.https://ijrowa.isfahan.iau.ir/article_697015_cea58022d3ee7468029d9ee5334348ab.pdfmarket crop wastefeedstockcompostingnutrient flowseasonal variation |
| spellingShingle | Asiwome Akumah Eric Nartey Godfred Ofosu-Budu Ebenezer Ewusie Esther Abusah Noah Adamtey Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture market crop waste feedstock composting nutrient flow seasonal variation |
| title | Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| title_full | Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| title_short | Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| title_sort | characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries |
| topic | market crop waste feedstock composting nutrient flow seasonal variation |
| url | https://ijrowa.isfahan.iau.ir/article_697015_cea58022d3ee7468029d9ee5334348ab.pdf |
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