Abstract

Analysis of garden waste composting and the effects of humic acid content using near-infrared spectroscopy

Author(s): Zhen Liu, Xiang Yang, Anlong Zou, Yaning Luan

In this study, we used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to evaluate the effects of adding humic acid (HA) to garden waste compost and to estimate the optimum HA content. We prepared four treatments with addition of 0, 5, 10, and 15% HA to a garden waste pile and used NIRS to analyze changes after various composting periods. The results of the NIRS analysis indicated that additional HA not only accelerates the composting process in the early stages, but also improves the quality of the resulting compost by increasing compost maturity. Based on these results, addition of 15% HA has the most beneficial effects on the process and the resulting compost product.