Aerobic composting with hydrothermal carbonization aqueous phase conditioning: Stabilized active gaseous nitrogen emissions

Yuanyuan Feng; Haijun Sun; Sen Chen; Wenping Xie; Hongmei Jin; Yanfang Feng; Gerrard Eddy Jai Poinern; Lihong Xue

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.137021

Aerobic composting with hydrothermal carbonization aqueous phase conditioning: Stabilized active gaseous nitrogen emissions

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Jan 2:486:137021. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.137021. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yuanyuan Feng¹, Haijun Sun², Sen Chen³, Wenping Xie⁴, Hongmei Jin⁵, Yanfang Feng⁶, Gerrard Eddy Jai Poinern⁷, Lihong Xue⁵

Affiliations

¹ Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry and Grassland, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, National Agricultural Experiment Station for Agricultural Environment (Luhe), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; Murdoch Applied Innovation Nanotechnology Research Group, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia.
² Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry and Grassland, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
³ Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry and Grassland, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, National Agricultural Experiment Station for Agricultural Environment (Luhe), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, National Agricultural Experiment Station for Agricultural Environment (Luhe), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, National Agricultural Experiment Station for Agricultural Environment (Luhe), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Murdoch Applied Innovation Nanotechnology Research Group, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia.

PMID: 39764962
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.137021

Abstract

The losses of reactive gaseous nitrogen (N), including ammonia (NH₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), represent a pressing environmental issue during composting. However, the impact of hydrothermal carbonization aqueous phase (HAP) on compost gaseous N emissions and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein, Quercus acutissima leaves-derived HAP and its modified HAP (MHAP) were added to the chicken manure compost at 5 % (w/w) and 10 % (w/w) applied rates to observe changes in NH₃ and N₂O fluxes, compost properties and bacterial communities. Results showed that high application of HAP significantly decreased compost cumulative NH₃ volatilization by 23-26 % compared to the control and MHAP. Compost NH₃ and N₂O emissions were significantly influenced by compost temperature and inorganic N concentrations. Moreover, HAP and MHAP at high rates reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidota (5-29 %) and Proteobacteria (11-35 %), compared to those at low rates. Compost environmental factors and bacterial diversity were identified as dominant factors affecting gaseous N emissions, with 54 % and 25 % explanatory rates, respectively. Furthermore, high application rates of HAP are expected to reduce annual NH₃ emissions from poultry manure compost by 40000 t. These findings provide insights into rational resource utilization of HAP and gaseous N emission reduction from composting.

Keywords: Compost fertility; Gaseous nitrogen emission; HAP; Microbial community; Poultry manure.