Organic Matter Composition of Manure and Its Potential Impact on Plant Growth

Jongkwan Park, Kyung Hwa Cho, Mayzonee Ligaray and Mi-Jin Choi
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Jongkwan Park: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Korea
Kyung Hwa Cho: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Korea
Mayzonee Ligaray: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Korea
Mi-Jin Choi: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Korea

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Since the advent of flush toilet systems, the aquatic environment has received a massive contaminant flow. Furthermore, the perception of human feces has changed from a useful nutrient source for agriculture to a harmful contaminant. In this study, we compared the nutritional quality of five samples: (1) human manure (HM), (2) human manure from a family mainly eating organic food (HMO), (3) cow manure (CM), (4) poultry manure (PM), and (5) commercial nursery media (CNM). Samples were analyzed in terms of organic and inorganic nutrient contents, molecular composition, seed germination, and chlorophyll concentration. Pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to describe the differences in molecular composition. Three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy characterized the organic composition of water extracts. From the results, CNM, PM, and HMO showed humic- and fluvic-like substance peaks, the highest values of potassium and sulfate ions, and of C/N ratios, indicating greater plant growth potential. This was confirmed by their higher chlorophyll concentrations and germination index values. These results contribute knowledge about the positive effects of manure, changing the negative perception of human excreta from waste to resource. This work provides a reference for reducing the wastewater loading rate in society.

Keywords: human waste; organic matter characterization; pyrolysis GC/MS; humic substances; seed germination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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