The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of keratinolytic B. cereus PCM 2849 inoculum on the process of composting pig bristles, in the mixture with sawdust and lignite dust. The process was conducted in closed, static and dynamic reactors. The impact of the composting technique and inoculum on the mineralization and maturity indices during active stage of composting was evaluated. A beneficial effect of the inoculum was confirmed during composting with the application of a static technique and with the dynamic technique. The introduction of bacterial inoculum enhanced transformation of mineral compounds and had a positive effect on maturity, as established with maturity indexes i.e. C/N ratio, carbon solubility, oxidation index of mineral forms of nitrogen, humification ratio or content of humic and fulvic acids. Products after the active stage of composting, especially inoculated compost variants, were characterized by beneficial contents of minerals and met safety standards regarding occurrence of heavy metals. Moreover, inoculated variants, left on prisms for further maturation, reached a more advanced level of matter decomposition and stabilization, as compared to composts obtained after the active phase of composting. The use of B. cereus inoculum for composting pig bristles turned out to be an effective method for accelerating the biodegradation of this hard-to-degrade waste and enabled to produce a valuable fertilizing product.
Keywords: Compost maturity; Composting; Keratinolytic bacteria; Mineralization; Pig bristles.
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