Effect of Turning Frequency on the Survival of Fecal Indicator Microorganisms during Aerobic Composting of Fecal Sludge with Sawdust

Musa Manga (), Chimdi Muoghalu, Miller A. Camargo-Valero and Barbara E. Evans
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Musa Manga: The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166 Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
Chimdi Muoghalu: The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166 Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
Miller A. Camargo-Valero: BioResource Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Barbara E. Evans: BioResource Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: The study investigated the effect of turning frequency on survival of fecal indicator pathogens ( E. coli , Enterococcus spp., Salmonella spp. and helminth eggs) during fecal sludge (FS) co-composting with sawdust. Dewatered FS was mixed with sawdust and composted on a pilot scale using different turning frequencies—i.e., 3 days (3TF), 7 days (7TF), and 14 days (14TF). Composting piles were monitored weekly for survival of fecal indicator microorganisms and evolution of selected physical and chemical characteristics for 14 weeks. Our results show that turning frequency has a statistically significant ( p < 0.05) effect on pathogen inactivation in FS compost. The 3TF piles exhibited shorter pathogen inactivation periods (8 weeks) than 7TF and 14TF piles (10 weeks). Temperature-time was found to be the major factor responsible for the survival of pathogens in FS composting piles, followed by indigenous microbial activities and toxic by-products (monitored as NH 4 + -N). Our study findings suggest that even at low composting temperatures, the high turning frequency can enhance pathogen inactivation. This is a significant finding for composting activities in some rural areas where suitable organic solid waste for co-composting with FS to attain the recommended high thermophilic conditions could be greatly lacking.

Keywords: fecal sludge treatment; fecal pathogens; viable helminth eggs; viable Ascaris eggs; Salmonella spp.; E. coli; Enterococci spp.; nutrient recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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