186
S. Saalah et al.
Table 8 ANOVA to compare mean of the summary of food waste moisture content collection
Groups
Count
Sum
Average
Variance
Week 1
5
383.67
76.734
4.69693
Week 2
5
379.18
75.836
6.81348
Week 3
5
384.7
76.94
2.06745
Week 4
5
358.61
71.722
71.32402
Source of Variation SS
df
MS
F
P-value
F crit
ANOVA
Between groups
89.1754 3
29.72513 1.400446 0.279045 3.238872
Within groups
339.6075 16
21.22547
Total
428.7829 19
of food waste moisture content measured was not effectual to result in a significant
difference in the food waste moisture content collection of the four weeks.
3.3 Monitoring the Composting Process
3.3.1 Temperature
Temperature is considered to be one of the important factors during the composting
process because it is related to the microbial activity during the degradation of organic
material (Kumar et al. 2010). The variation in temperature as a function of time
during the composting process is illustrated in Fig. 8. It was found that ambient
temperature over 55 days of composting process is varied from 25 to 32 °C. In active
zone compartment, there is no significant change for temperature at the bottom level
indicating less microbial population. On the other hand, temperature at the top level
of compartment was increased significantly until maximum temperature of 57 °C,
possibly due to aerobic conditions. The maximum temperature would reach 57 °C
because most of the fungal species dominated this area.
The air circulation through the holes at the posterior wall of the reactor and regular
turning of waste could have significantly increased the temperature of the composting
pile. The temperature of the active zone compartment was in mesophilic range as the
value is less than 45 °C until day-11. Subsequently, rapid increase in temperature
to thermophilic range (>55 °C) was observed in top portion within 25 days of the
composting. The temperature remains in this region for three days before gradually
decrease. In contrast, the temperature in middle portions significantly decreased to
ambient level in day-17. After six weeks, the temperature of the compost drop to
ambient temperature. During composting process, if the temperature of the compost
is more than 55 °C for 4 h or longer it is considered sufficient to kill many pathogens
(Kreith and Tchobanoglous 2002). While temperature between 55 and 60 °C, most
S. Saalah et al.
Table 8 ANOVA to compare mean of the summary of food waste moisture content collection
Groups
Count
Sum
Average
Variance
Week 1
5
383.67
76.734
4.69693
Week 2
5
379.18
75.836
6.81348
Week 3
5
384.7
76.94
2.06745
Week 4
5
358.61
71.722
71.32402
Source of Variation SS
df
MS
F
P-value
F crit
ANOVA
Between groups
89.1754 3
29.72513 1.400446 0.279045 3.238872
Within groups
339.6075 16
21.22547
Total
428.7829 19
of food waste moisture content measured was not effectual to result in a significant
difference in the food waste moisture content collection of the four weeks.
3.3 Monitoring the Composting Process
3.3.1 Temperature
Temperature is considered to be one of the important factors during the composting
process because it is related to the microbial activity during the degradation of organic
material (Kumar et al. 2010). The variation in temperature as a function of time
during the composting process is illustrated in Fig. 8. It was found that ambient
temperature over 55 days of composting process is varied from 25 to 32 °C. In active
zone compartment, there is no significant change for temperature at the bottom level
indicating less microbial population. On the other hand, temperature at the top level
of compartment was increased significantly until maximum temperature of 57 °C,
possibly due to aerobic conditions. The maximum temperature would reach 57 °C
because most of the fungal species dominated this area.
The air circulation through the holes at the posterior wall of the reactor and regular
turning of waste could have significantly increased the temperature of the composting
pile. The temperature of the active zone compartment was in mesophilic range as the
value is less than 45 °C until day-11. Subsequently, rapid increase in temperature
to thermophilic range (>55 °C) was observed in top portion within 25 days of the
composting. The temperature remains in this region for three days before gradually
decrease. In contrast, the temperature in middle portions significantly decreased to
ambient level in day-17. After six weeks, the temperature of the compost drop to
ambient temperature. During composting process, if the temperature of the compost
is more than 55 °C for 4 h or longer it is considered sufficient to kill many pathogens
(Kreith and Tchobanoglous 2002). While temperature between 55 and 60 °C, most