Organic Waste Recycling

Composting 93

Figure 3.2 Patterns of temperature and microbial growth in compost piles

NH 4 +

2

3

O 2 NO 2 - + 2H+ + H 2 O (3.1)

NO 2 - +

2

1

O 2 NO 3 - (3.2)

Combining Equations 3.1 and 3.2, the overall oxidation reaction for
nitrification is:

NH 4 + + 2O 2 NO 3 - + 2H+ + H 2 O (3.3)

Since NH 4 + is also synthesized into cell tissue, a representative reaction^ for
cell synthesis is:

NH 4 + + 4 CO 2 + HCO 3 - + H 2 Oĺ C 5 H 7 O 2 N + 5O 2 (3.4)

Nitrosomonas

Nitrobactor

bacteria

bacteria

Time (h)

Temperature (°C)

Latent

Mesophilic growth

Bacteria

Bacteria, fungi,

actinomycetes

Thermophilic

Second and third

level consumers

Mesophilic Ambient

(Maturation)