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Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A...
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Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 41792

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ravindran Balasubramani

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Energy and Engineering, Kyonggi University, Youngtong-Gu, Suwon 16227, Republic of Korea
Interests: waste degrdation; nanomanure on water and waster treatment; nano composting and vermicomposting; greenhouse gas; biochar; water and wastewater pollution monitoring and treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mukesh Kumar Awasthi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Taicheng Road 3#,Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Interests: soil fertility; composting; biochar; microbial diversity and technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sunita Varjani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Interests: waste valorization, bioplastic; hydrocarbon utilization/degradation by bacteria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Natchimuthu Karmegam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem - 636 007, Tamil Nadu, India
Interests: waste management strategies; biomass valorization; advances in wastewater treatment technologies; green nano-technologies; eco-technologies for sustainable environment and agriculture; composting and vermicomposting; ethnomedicinal plants and their applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The management of organic wastes is given much attention due to their enormous generation leading to environmental pollution and human health risks. Aerobic and anaerobic methods of waste treatment are considered viable alternative methods for reducing the risk of organic pollution loads in the environment. Though traditional composting and anaerobic digestion are commonly employed methods of disposal, there is an urgent requirement for advanced and improved methods to utilize huge quantities of agro-industrial and livestock wastes.

In recent years, advances have been made to improve aerobic and anaerobic methods of waste valorization for value-added end product generation in a sustainable manner. This helps to eliminate the accumulation different kinds of wastes and associated environmental issues. For the betterment of environment and human health, it is necessary to find alternative strategies to mitigate agro-industrial and livestock generated wastes.

With this background, this Special Issue on “Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future” welcomes novel research, reviews, and opinion pieces covering all related topics, including but not limited to aerobic waste management strategies, composting/vermicomposting, anaerobic digestion, novel digesters, cellulose degradation, biofuels, microbial interaction, beneficial microbes involved in the process, economy and biocircularity, case studies from the field, and policy issues.

Prof. Dr. Ravindran Balasubramani
Prof. Dr. Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
Dr. Sunita Varjani
Prof. Dr. Natchimuthu Karmegam
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Aerobic waste treatments (composting, vermicomposting, etc.)
  • Anaerobic digestion
  • Biofuels
  • Waste valorization
  • Organic wastes
  • Pollutant degradation
  • Bioremediation
  • Livestock wastes
  • Agrowastes

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 211 KiB  
Editorial
Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future
by Ravindran Balasubramani, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi, Sunita Varjani and Natchimuthu Karmegam
Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2607; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102607 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1038
Abstract
Agricultural manufacturing costs have elevated over time because of expanded land use for agricultural functions, state-of-the-art agricultural machinery, and an ever-developing population [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

14 pages, 5014 KiB  
Article
Impact of Biomass Recycling and Fertilization on Soil Microbiological Characteristics and Wheat Productivity in Semi-Arid Environment
by Govind Kumar Yadav, Sunil Kumar Dadhich, Rajendra Kumar Yadav, Rajesh Kumar, Jalpa Dobaria, Bilal Ahamad Paray, Soon Woong Chang and Balasubramani Ravindran
Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041054 - 05 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1674
Abstract
In India, 700 million tons of agricultural waste generated annually is burned by farmers in the fields, which decreases biological activity in soil. The issue of handling the enormous amounts of crop residues that emerge from increased crop output might be resolved by [...] Read more.
In India, 700 million tons of agricultural waste generated annually is burned by farmers in the fields, which decreases biological activity in soil. The issue of handling the enormous amounts of crop residues that emerge from increased crop output might be resolved by composting. However, different crop residues improve soil physico-chemical and biological properties in different ways. Crop residue incorporation and fertilization (NPK) impact crop productivity due to changes in soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and the soil enzymatic activity. A field experiment was conducted for two years (2020–2021 and 2021–2022), which comprises five partially composted crop residues treatments viz., control, clusterbean straw, groundnut shell, pearlmillet husk, and sesame stover (added at rate of 5 t ha−1), and four fertilization (NPK) treatments viz., control, 75% RDF, 100% RDF, and 125% RDF. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), enzymatic activities in soil and wheat yield were studied under a semi-arid environment (India). Data showed that the continuous application of crop residues and fertilizer significantly affected MBC, MBN, MBP, and soil enzymatic activity after two years of experimentation in a semi-arid region environment. The highest levels of microbial biomass (viz, MBC, MBN, MBP) and enzyme activities were noticed in the sesame stover and 125% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) treatments. Therefore, this study highlights the need for restoring crop residue for effective soil management. The crop residue and NPK fertilization are more efficient in improving the soil’s microbial properties and the yield of wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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18 pages, 3701 KiB  
Article
Exploration of Compost Soil for the Production of Thermo-Stable Bacillus Protease to Synthesize Bioactive Compounds through Soy Protein Hydrolysis
by Ieshita Pan, Krishnamoorthy Nanjundan, Aravindan Achuthan, Praveen Kumar Issac, Rajinikanth Rajagopal, Soon Woong Chang, Sartaj Ahmad Bhat and Balasubramani Ravindran
Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041019 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1376
Abstract
Application of bioactive peptides (BAPs) is promising due to their potential antimicrobial, antioxidant, agonistic, and ACE inhibition properties. To achieve a stable and active peptide at relatively high pH and temperatures by microbial fermentation, a wide variety of microorganisms need to be explored [...] Read more.
Application of bioactive peptides (BAPs) is promising due to their potential antimicrobial, antioxidant, agonistic, and ACE inhibition properties. To achieve a stable and active peptide at relatively high pH and temperatures by microbial fermentation, a wide variety of microorganisms need to be explored from diverse habitats, and compost is the excellent source. In an attempt to isolate potent protease-producing bacteria, gelatin-supplemented DM agar medium was used. Out of 140 pure cultures, initial protease production selects isolate D3L/1 (26 U/mL), and 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed it as Bacillus subtilis. Protease production was increased to 55.55 U/mL, with pH 7.5, 1% glucose, 1% casein, 1% ammonium sulfate, for 96 h of fermentation, at 37 °C under 140 rpm of shaking. Ion-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography, 30 KDa protease was purified up to 4.1-fold (specific activity 3448.62 U/mL; 67.66% yield). The enzyme was active under broad temperatures (60 °C optimum), organic solvents, and pH variations. A total of 5% H2O2 can only reduce 40% of enzyme activity. However, 1 mM, Fe2+, and Cu2+ increased enzyme activity by five times. Soy hydrolysis (SPI) byD3L/1 protease produces bioactive compound (<3 KDa), which confirmed the peptide bond in the far UV region (205 nm, 215 nm, 225 nm, and 280 nm). The compound was ineffective towards Serratia marcescens but active against Escherechia coli (47%), Staphylococcus aureus (28%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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12 pages, 3283 KiB  
Communication
Effect of Biochar Amendments on the Co-Composting of Food Waste and Livestock Manure
by Woojin Chung, Jaehong Shim, Soon Woong Chang and Balasubramani Ravindran
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010035 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2761
Abstract
The global increase in population will result in increased global food production which can, in turn, lead to excessive food waste. Although composting is widely adopted for the conversion of organic waste into value-added products, there are several limitations, such as its lower [...] Read more.
The global increase in population will result in increased global food production which can, in turn, lead to excessive food waste. Although composting is widely adopted for the conversion of organic waste into value-added products, there are several limitations, such as its lower efficiency in composting food waste without co-composting, the loss of nutrients, and the emission of greenhouse gases. Due to its renowned characteristics, biochar amendments are used during composting to overcome these issues; each waste should be at an appropriate level to yield good quality compost with high nutrient levels. In this study, we co-composted food waste with chicken and swine manure with varying proportions in the presence and absence of biochar to identify the ideal proportion of each raw material and the biochar. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, temperature, bulk density, porosity, C:N ratio, and gaseous emissions were analyzed. The results showed that the desired quality of compost was obtained in the treatment with 5% biochar with 40%, 20%, and 20% of food waste, chicken manure, and swine manure, respectively, and 15% sawdust. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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17 pages, 1235 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Antagonist Potential of Selected Compost Bacterial Isolates (CBI) against Plant and Human Pathogens
by Abdo Tannouri, Ziad Rizk, Marina Al Daccache, Chantal Ghanem, Valérie Azzi, Rami Haddad, Richard G. Maroun, Zeina Hobaika, Rebecca Badra and Dominique Salameh
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 2977; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12122977 - 27 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1543
Abstract
Several fecal and enteric pathogens are present within the primary organic raw materials that are introduced to compost piles. These pathogens may compete with the existing microbiota and limit their efficiency, yielding only partial decomposition of the final compost. These pathogens also affect [...] Read more.
Several fecal and enteric pathogens are present within the primary organic raw materials that are introduced to compost piles. These pathogens may compete with the existing microbiota and limit their efficiency, yielding only partial decomposition of the final compost. These pathogens also affect the process kinetics and persist in the final compost or may even regrow as a result of the declining effect of indigenous antagonistic micro-organisms. In this work, 11 indigenous bacterial isolates were selected from compost piles that were constructed from different percentages of comingled primary organic raw materials. Enzymatic, biochemical, and genetic characterization profiling of these strains was fulfilled. The top hits supplied by GenBank proved the genetic diversity of these strains, which belonged to 6 different families. This diversity, applied also at enzymatic and biochemical levels, showed the different degradation patterns of amino acids, carbohydrates, hormones, and proteins. CBI2 has been shown to be the most active isolate in the degradation of the different types of hormones and proteins from dairy products but lacks the enzymes needed for the degradation of ammonia into nitrogen. The antagonistic potential of recuperated secondary metabolites proved the total inhibition of all strains against Fusarium oxysporum and no growth limitation against Botrytis cinerea. Only the secondary metabolites of CBI1, CBI5, and CBI9 isolates showed inhibitory activity against Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli, whereas only those of CBI6 and CBI8 inhibited the growth of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes accordingly. From that finding, these strains are considered pioneering, with high potential to ensure both the efficient degradation of organic matter and the elimination of existing pathogens when applied to compost piles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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19 pages, 2024 KiB  
Article
Production of Nutrient-Enriched Vermicompost from Aquatic Macrophytes Supplemented with Kitchen Waste: Assessment of Nutrient Changes, Phytotoxicity, and Earthworm Biodynamics
by Ali Mohd Yatoo, Sartaj Ahmad Bhat, Md. Niamat Ali, Zahoor Ahmad Baba and Zarka Zaheen
Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1303; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12061303 - 29 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3022
Abstract
Vermicompost is an organic fertilizer rich in nutrients, beneficial microbes, and plant growth hormones that not only enhances the growth of crops but also contributes to the improvement in the physicochemical and biological properties of the soil. However, its lower nutrient content makes [...] Read more.
Vermicompost is an organic fertilizer rich in nutrients, beneficial microbes, and plant growth hormones that not only enhances the growth of crops but also contributes to the improvement in the physicochemical and biological properties of the soil. However, its lower nutrient content makes it less preferable among farmers and limits its applicability. Here, we investigate, for the first time, nutrient enrichment of vermicompost by supplementing the free-floating macrophyte biomass with cow manure and organic nutrient supplements (eggshell, bone meal, banana peel, and tea waste). Free-floating macrophytes are aquatic plants that are found suspended on the water surface, playing a significant role in the structural and functional aspects of aquatic ecosystems. However, uncontrolled proliferation of these macrophytes endangers these ecosystems, having both economic and ecological implications; therefore, they need to be managed. Results showed an enhanced total nitrogen (2.87%), total phosphorus (0.86%), total potassium (3.74%), and other nutrients in vermicompost amended with cow manure and nutrient supplements. Highest biomass gain (710–782 mg), growth rate (11.83–13.04 mg), and reproduction rate (3.34–3.75 cocoons per worm) was also observed, indicating that amending bulking agent and nutrient supplements not only enhance the nutrient content of the final product but also improve overall earthworm activity. The stability and maturity of vermicompost, as indicated by C/N (<20) and Germination Index (>80), indicates that vermicompost obtained is suitable for agricultural applications. The study concluded that amendment of cow manure and organic nutrient supplements results in producing mature and nutrient-enriched vermicompost suitable for sustainable agricultural production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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9 pages, 1411 KiB  
Article
Larvicidal Activity of Geranylacetone Derivatives against Culex quinquefasciatus Larvae and Investigation of Environmental Toxicity and Non-Target Aquatic Species
by Mohammed Al-Zharani, Mohammed S. Al-Eissa, Hassan A. Rudayni, Daoud Ali, Saud Alarifi, Radhakrishnan Surendrakumar and Akbar Idhayadhulla
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112342 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1814
Abstract
A grindstone method based on Mannich condensation was used to synthesize geranylacetone derivatives (1a–1f). The method showed a high yield under milder reaction conditions. Analyses of the synthesized compounds were carried out by FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR, [...] Read more.
A grindstone method based on Mannich condensation was used to synthesize geranylacetone derivatives (1a–1f). The method showed a high yield under milder reaction conditions. Analyses of the synthesized compounds were carried out by FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. We synthesized and evaluated the larvicidal and ichthyotoxic activities of six compounds (1a–1f) in this study. Compound 1f (5,9-dimethyl-1-phenyl-3-(2-(3-phenylallylidene)hydrazinyl)deca-4,8-dien-1-one) was more active (LD50: 14.1 µg/mL) against the second instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus than geranylacetone (67.2 µg/mL), whereas the former caused 13.9% mortality at 100 µg/mL. Geranylacetone, in an antifeedant screening test, showed 53.1% against Oreochromis mossambicus within 24 h. The compound 1f showed high larvicidal activity against C. quinquefasciatus and was non-toxic to non-target aquatic species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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16 pages, 1160 KiB  
Article
Co-Composting of Brewers’ Spent Grain with Animal Manures and Wheat Straw: Influence of Two Composting Strategies on Compost Quality
by Davide Assandri, Niccolò Pampuro, Giacomo Zara, Angela Bianco, Eugenio Cavallo and Marilena Budroni
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071349 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3175
Abstract
The main challenge of this work is to identify a novel approach to reuse and valorize brewers’ spent grain (BSG) to produce a new source of income for the brewers in terms of self-consumption or selling goods. Therefore, this study explored the composting [...] Read more.
The main challenge of this work is to identify a novel approach to reuse and valorize brewers’ spent grain (BSG) to produce a new source of income for the brewers in terms of self-consumption or selling goods. Therefore, this study explored the composting behavior of BSG mixed with different organic materials: wheat straw with pig slurry solid fraction and wheat straw with sheep manure, MIX1 and MIX2, respectively. The composting process was carried out in bins by comparing two different composting strategies: manual turning (MT) and static composting xxx– without turning operations (ST). During the experimental trial, BSG mixtures were chemically analyzed for pH, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, total organic carbon, volatile solids, carbon to nitrogen ratio, and moisture content. Furthermore, the final composted materials were evaluated according to the physicochemical and biological limits fixed by the European regulation (2019/1009) and the Italian law (D.Lgs 75/2010). At the end of the composting process, the C/N ratio ranged from 11.6 to 15.5, the humification ratio ranged from 12.4 to 13.8 and the NH4+-N/NO3−-N ratio was lower than 0.5 indicating, in all investigated treatments, a good degree of maturation. However, as evidenced by the high pH values and low Germination Index, the sheep manure, as starting material, proved less effective than the solid fraction of pig slurry, probably due to excessive trampling and slow litter change. Finally, concerning the two composting strategies investigated, the obtained results highlighted that the composting strategy did not affect the final compost quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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15 pages, 2832 KiB  
Article
Biological Activity of Root Extract Decalepis hamiltonii (Wight & Arn) against Three Mosquito Vectors and Their Non-Toxicity against the Mosquito Predators
by Palanisamy Prakash, Ekambaram Gayathiri, Rengarajan Manivasagaperumal and Patcharin Krutmuang
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1267; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071267 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2942
Abstract
Bioactive molecules of plant origin play a significant role as defensive agents in different insect species. Chemical compounds in medicinal plants have been an exciting alternative to standard methods of controlling mosquito larvae. The present study evaluates the different solvent extracts of D. [...] Read more.
Bioactive molecules of plant origin play a significant role as defensive agents in different insect species. Chemical compounds in medicinal plants have been an exciting alternative to standard methods of controlling mosquito larvae. The present study evaluates the different solvent extracts of D. hamiltonii for toxicity against three different mosquito larvae. Bioassay revealed that the effect of the methanol extracts increased the larval mortality with increasing concentration. The highest larval mortality was observed in Culex quinquefasciatus with 98.33%, followed by 95 and 90% mortality in Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi, at 24 h exposure. GC-MS analysis of methanol extract of D. hamiltonii showed six major peak compounds. They are benzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-(10.35%), dodecanoic acid (11.02%), n-hexadecanoic acid (21.05%), linoleic acid methyl ester (14.20%), oleic acid (21.04%), octadecanoic acid (22.21%). The level of α and β Carboxylesterases gets significantly decreased post-treatment with the methanol extract of D. hamiltonii in a dose-dependent manner.In contrast, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome-P450 (CYP450) levels get up-lifted steadily when the dosage gets increased. The ratio of GST level has drastically proclaimed to in Ae. aegypti 0.702 mg/m Lin parallel to Cx. quiquefasciatus (0.656 mg/mL) and An. stephensi (0.812 mg/mL). Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activity was observed to increase significantly post-treatment with the sub-lethal dosage of methanol extract of D. hamiltonii. Correspondingly, the non-target screening against the aquatic predators reveals that the crude root extracts and their derivatives are ecologically safe and less toxic. Overall, the present research highlights the chemical characterization of crude methanol extracts of D. hamiltonii, their insecticidal activity against the medically challenging pests, and their non-target activity delivers an ecologically safe, and target specific bio-active agents and suitable substitute for chemical pesticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

35 pages, 3993 KiB  
Review
Biosurfactants: Potential and Eco-Friendly Material for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Safety—A Review
by Ekambaram Gayathiri, Palanisamy Prakash, Natchimuthu Karmegam, Sunita Varjani, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi and Balasubramani Ravindran
Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12030662 - 09 Mar 2022
Cited by 84 | Viewed by 11994
Abstract
With the present climate change and increasing world population, there is an urgent need to discover creative, efficient, and cost-effective natural products for the benefit of humanity. Biosurfactants are produced by various microorganisms that have several distinct properties compared to other synthetic surfactants, [...] Read more.
With the present climate change and increasing world population, there is an urgent need to discover creative, efficient, and cost-effective natural products for the benefit of humanity. Biosurfactants are produced by various microorganisms that have several distinct properties compared to other synthetic surfactants, including mild production conditions, multifunctionality, higher biodegradability, and lower toxicity of living cells synthesis of active compounds. Due to their surface tension reducing, emulsion stabilizing, and biodegrading properties of these in place of chemical surfactants, they are generating huge demand in terms of research and usage. Biosurfactants are widely used in the food industry as food-formulation ingredients and antiadhesive agents as emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, spreading agents, foaming agents, and detergents that find application in various fields such as agriculture, industrial sectors, and environmental recreation. Recent research focused more on heavy metal bioremediation from compost was achieved using biosurfactants-producing bacteria, which resulted in an improvement in compost quality. Although a number of studies on biosurfactants synthesis have been reported, very limited information on its cinematics and the consumption of renewable substrates are available. In this review paper, we made an attempt to critically review biosurfactants, their usage, research related to them, and challenges faced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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20 pages, 2938 KiB  
Review
Enhancement of Agro-Industrial Waste Composting Process via the Microbial Inoculation: A Brief Review
by Mohd Huzairi Mohd Zainudin, Aisyah Zulkarnain, Ain Sahira Azmi, Shalini Muniandy, Kenji Sakai, Yoshihito Shirai and Mohd Ali Hassan
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010198 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 8267
Abstract
Composting is an important technology used to treat and convert organic waste into value-added products. Recently, several studies have been done to investigate the effects of microbial supplementation on the composting of agro-industrial waste. According to these studies, microbial inoculation is considered to [...] Read more.
Composting is an important technology used to treat and convert organic waste into value-added products. Recently, several studies have been done to investigate the effects of microbial supplementation on the composting of agro-industrial waste. According to these studies, microbial inoculation is considered to be one of the suitable methods for enhancing the biotransformation of organic materials during the composting process. This review provides up-to-date research findings on microbial inoculation strategies and their role and functions in enhancing the composting process and the improvement of compost quality. Based on this review, the addition of microorganisms could enhance the composting process such as accelerating the organic matter degradation, mineralization and microbial enzymes activities, and the quality of the end-products such as high germination index. It is important to notice in this strategy that sludge’s microbial consortium is feasible to enhance the composting process in pilot-scale and industrial-scale productions. Besides, it also reduces the cost of compost production. The findings of this review show the various positive impact of microbial inoculation on agro-industrial waste composting which in turn might be useful as a reference for selecting a suitable inoculum based on the type of waste materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial and Livestock Wastes: A Green and Sustainable Way toward the Future)
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