Evaluation of Compost Maturity By Means of Chemical and Microbial Analyses

Abstract

Several chemical and microbiological parameters were tested during a 140 day period to characterize the stabilization process of a paper processing wastewater sludge composted with straw. The parameters indicate two months as a suitable period for the establishment of an equilibrium in the decay process, although some parameters show that compost reaches an acceptable level of stability in 30 days. Evaluation of stability in the end-product is difficult to define by only one parameter, whether it be chemical or biological.