Abstract
The sustainable management of organic waste, including food waste (FW) and sewage sludge (SS), is crucial for mitigating environmental impacts and promoting nutrient recycling. This study investigated the effect of sewage sludge biochar (SSB) on FW composting, specifically regarding the quality, stability, and agronomic performance of the resulting co-compost. SSB, produced at 300 °C (BC300) and 500 °C (BC500), was mixed with FW at various proportions (0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 % w/w). Adding SSB enhanced the physical and chemical properties of the co-composts, notably increasing phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) levels, and improving nutrient retention. Moreover, higher biochar levels, especially BC500, lowered volatile matter and increased ash content, indicating greater compost stability. Importantly, heavy metal levels remained within regulatory limits, ensuring the environmental safety of the co-composts. Co-composts with higher biochar additions (15 %–20 %) notably increased chlorophyll content in maize plants, with a 49 %–60 % rise in the SPAD index compared to the unfertilized control. However, maize dry matter production was not affected by biochar addition, probably because the nutrient solution supplied to the plants limited the effect of the co-compost. Conversely, combining co-compost with mineral fertilization significantly boosted plant dry matter yield, exceeding both fertilized and unfertilized controls. These findings suggest that incorporating biochar into co-composts can improve soil nutrient availability and promote plant health, supporting more sustainable farming methods. Future research should focus on assessing the long-term impacts of this co-compost, particularly under field conditions, to better understand its role in gradual nutrient release and crop growth.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Higher biochar co-compost additions raised maize SPAD index by 49%–60% relative to unfertilized controls.
- Treatment
- higher biochar additions (15 %–20 %)e0
- Outcome
- SPAD indexe0
- Direction
- risee0
- Value
- 49 %–60 %e0
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Co-composts with higher biochar additions (15 %–20 %) notably increased chlorophyll content in maize plants, with a 49 %–60 % rise in the SPAD index compared to the unfertilized control.”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar addition did not affect maize dry matter production under nutrient solution supply.
- Treatment
- biochar additione0
- Outcome
- maize dry matter productione0
- Direction
- not affectede0
- Qualifier
- nutrient solution supplied to the plantse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize dry matter production was not affected by biochar addition, probably because the nutrient solution supplied to the plants limited the effect of the co-compost.”
Claim · model-written summary
Co-compost combined with mineral fertilization significantly increased plant dry matter yield above both fertilized and unfertilized controls.
- Treatment
- combining co-compost with mineral fertilizatione0
- Outcome
- plant dry matter yielde0
- Direction
- boostede0
- Comparator
- both fertilized and unfertilized controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“combining co-compost with mineral fertilization significantly boosted plant dry matter yield, exceeding both fertilized and unfertilized controls.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest incorporating biochar into co-composts to improve soil nutrient availability and plant health.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“incorporating biochar into co-composts can improve soil nutrient availability and promote plant health”
t0“maize”
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