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| Composting
is the controlled biological decomposition and conversion of solid
organic material into a humuslike substance called compost. Composting
is the process of letting nature transform organic materials into
a material with environmentally beneficial applications. The process
is aerobic, meaning it requires oxygen. The process uses various
microorganisms such as bacteria, actinomyces and fungi to break
down the organic compounds into simpler substances. In natural surroundings,
leaves and branches that fall to the ground form a rich, moist layer
of mulch that protects the roots of plants and provides a home for
nature's most fundamental recyclers: worms, insects and a host of
microorganisms too small to see with the naked eye. Composting
is a viable process of treating solid waste for beneficial use and
destroying pathogens, diseases and undesirable weed seed. By properly
managing air, moisture and nutrients, the composting process can
transform large quantities of organic material into compost in a
relatively short time. During
composting, the microorganisms consume oxygen while feeding on organic
matter. Active composting generates a considerable amount of heat,
and large quantities of carbon dioxide and water vapor are released
into the air. The carbon dioxide and water losses can amount to
half the weight of the initial organic materials, so composting
reduces both the volume and mass of the raw materials while transforming
them into a beneficial humuslike material. Composting is most efficient when the major parameters - oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, moisture and temperature - which affect the composting process are properly managed. |
Basic
Principles of Composting Compost Oxygen/Thermometer Instruments
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