Study of the lipidic and humic fractions from organic wastes before and after the composting process

Abstract

Modifications of the lipidic and humic acid-like fractions from two organic wastes (city refuse and aerobic sewage sludge) before and after a composting process were studied. Although the qualitative composition of the lipidic fractions before and after composting was nearly identical, some quantitative differences were observed. Data from elemental and functional group analysis and FTIR spectra of the humic acid-like fractions showed a slight increase of the aromatic compounds during the composting process. GC-MS studies of the products of the persulfate and permanganate oxidation of the humic acid-like fractions have not been useful to show changes in them.