Water hyacinth biomass stabilization by its composting with swine wasterwater and slaugther house wasters

Abstract

The objective of the present research was to evaluate the composting of water hyacinth (E. crassipes) biomass, after its usage for the removal of pollutants from the effluent of a swine slaughter house wastewater treatment system, recycling the waste water used for swine transportation trucks and piggery hygienic cleaning and the cellulosic gut generated in the sausage processing . The composting was evaluated by building eight composting piles measuring approximately 0,60m3 each; the piles consisted of four distinct treatments that were done twice. The treatments were: T1 - Water hyacinth (E. crassipes), T2 - Water hyacinth and swine excrement, T3 - Water hyacinth, swine excrement and earth, T4 - Water hyacinth, swine excrement and cellulosic gut, for a period of 90 days. Considering the C:N ratio as a compost maturity indicator, it was observed that the T4 treatment (water hyacinth, excrement and cellulosic gut) had the shorter period of stabilization, 60 days. Regarding the biostabilization rate, the statistic analysis showed that there was no significant difference at 5% level by the F test between the four treatments evaluated during 90 days. The total organic carbon and the nitrogen biostabilization average rates were 1,8x10-2 day-1 and 0,8x10-3 day-1, respectively.