Abstract
Composting is nowadays a general treatment method for municipal solid
waste. Compostable household waste contains, together with vegetable
material, varying amounts of papers and boards. In the European Union
composting is regarded as one recycling method for packages and this
will probably favour compostable packages, like papers and boards, in
the future. Paper is made up of lignocellulose and it may contain up to
20% of lignin. Efficient degradation of papers in composting plants
means that biodegradation of lignin is also needed. However, very little
is known about lignin degradation by mixed microbial compost
populations, although lignin degradation by white-rot fungi has been
extensively studied in recent years. Organic material is converted to
carbon dioxide, humus, and heat by compost microorganisms. It is assumed
that humus is formed mainly from lignin. Thus, lignin is not totally
mineralized during composting. The elevated temperatures found during
the thermophilic phase are essential for rapid degradation of
lignocellulose. Complex organic compounds like lignin are mainly
degraded by thermophilic microfungi and actinomycetes. The optimum
temperature for thermophilic fungi is 40–50°C which is also the optimum
temperature for lignin degradation in compost.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 169 - 183 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Bioresource Technology |
| Volume | 72 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
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