Relationship between stability degree and chemical indices of livestock manure composts

Abstract

Principal chemical indices of compost associated with compost stabilization were investigated using relationship between stability degree (SD) and chemical indices including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total C, extractable C, decomposability, total N, NH4+, NO3-, molar ratio of NH4+ to NO3-, C/N, total P, and soluble P of various composts. Compost SD was positively (p<0.05) correlated with pH and C/N, and negatively (p<0.05) with EC, total N, and molar ratio of NH4+ to NO3-. However, the correlation with pH, C/N, and total N were in contradiction to other studies that reported an opposite relationship to ours, probably due to different properties of initial composting materials. Therefore, the present study in conjunction with other studies suggest that EC and the molar ratio of NH4+ to NO3- are the chemical indices closely associated with stabilization of composts regardless of composting materials. © 2012 The Korean Society for Applied Biological Chemistry.