TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterizing market crop waste as feedstock for composting to reduce environmental pollution in developing countries
AU - Akumah, Asiwome Mensah
AU - Nartey, Eric Kwesi
AU - Ofosu-Budu, Godfred Kwabena
AU - Ewusie, Ebenezer Ato
AU - Abusah, Esther Esi
AU - Adamtey, Noah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Islamic Azad University. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/7
Y1 - 2023/7
N2 - 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 Enter-ococcus 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.
AB - 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 Enter-ococcus 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.
KW - Composting
KW - Feedstock
KW - Market crop waste
KW - Nutrient flow
KW - Seasonal variation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162793019&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.30486/IJROWA.2022.1954818.1431
DO - 10.30486/IJROWA.2022.1954818.1431
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85162793019
SN - 2195-3228
VL - 12
SP - 409
EP - 423
JO - International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture
JF - International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture
IS - 3
ER -