INVESTIGATION INTO TOTAL CARBON IN SEWAGE SLUDGE AND COMPOST

Abstract

The relation between soil and climate change is highly important. The soil is a part of the climate change problem; however, it could also be a part of the solution to the encountered problem. For a better understanding and estimation of climate gas emissions and for slowing down these processes, more investigation in this field is required. Sustainable soil usage could help with saving or even increasing the amount of carbon in the soil. Such process will sustain the balance of climate gas emissions. Soil carbon is an essential element that determines soil fertility. Recently, the importance of organic materials for soil quality and the applicability of sewage sludge to enrich the soil using such materials have been discussed. Sewage sludge as an organic carbon source can improve soil quality. The best way to stabilise and immobilise carbon is mineralisation that occurs in the composting process. The article analyses and evaluates the loss of organic carbon content during the composting process of sewage sludge and explores loss rates by adding various natural supplements (wood shavings and chips, milled bark, grained branches, peat and zeolite).