Molecular characterization of the composition and transformation of dissolved organic matter during the semi-permeable membrane covered hyperthermophilic composting

Bo Sun; Yongshuang Li; Manjiao Song; Rui Li; Zaixing Li; Guoqiang Zhuang; Zhihui Bai; Xuliang Zhuang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127496

Molecular characterization of the composition and transformation of dissolved organic matter during the semi-permeable membrane covered hyperthermophilic composting

J Hazard Mater. 2022 Mar 5:425:127496. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127496. Epub 2021 Oct 14.

Authors

Bo Sun¹, Yongshuang Li², Manjiao Song³, Rui Li¹, Zaixing Li⁴, Guoqiang Zhuang¹, Zhihui Bai⁵, Xuliang Zhuang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
² Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.
⁴ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang 050018, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: zhbai@rcees.ac.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: xlzhuang@rcees.ac.cn.

PMID: 34896709
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127496

Abstract

Current knowledge of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in semi-permeable membrane-covered thermophilic compost (smHTC) is limited. Therefore, this study provided a comprehensive characterization of composition and transformation of DOM in smHTC using multiple spectroscopic methods and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. The results showed that the values of SUVA₂₈₀, SUVA₂₅₄, A_240-400 (0.042, 0.048, 34.193) in smHTC were higher than those of conventional thermophilic composting (cTC) (0.030, 0.037, 18.348), and the increment of P_V,n in smHTC were 2.4 times higher than that of cTC. These results suggested that smHTC accelerated the humification process by promoting the degradation of labile DOM and the production of humus-like substances. Mass spectrometry further confirmed that the DOM of smHTC possessed higher degree of aromatization and humification, based on the lower H/C (1.14), higher aromaticity index (0.34) and double bond equivalence (10.36). Additionally, smHTC increased the proportion of carboxyl-rich, unsaturated and aromatic compounds, and simultaneously improved the degradation of aliphatic/proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, along with even some refractory substances such as CHO subcategory (24.1%), especially lignin-like structures (14.8%). This investigation provided molecular insights into the composition and transformations of DOM in smHTC, and extended the current molecular mechanisms of humification in composting.

Keywords: Dissolved organic matter; Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry; Hyperthermophilic composting; Semi-permeable membrane; Spectra.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Composting*
Dissolved Organic Matter
Mass Spectrometry
Organic Chemicals
Soil

Substances

Dissolved Organic Matter
Organic Chemicals
Soil