1. SPECTROSCOPIC AND THERMAL
ANALYSIS OF COMPOSTING
DURING AGITATED PILE AND
ROTARY DRUM COMPOSTING

2. ABSTRACT
Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has infested vast wetlands, and
has caused major problems in the region viz. reducing fish population,
blocking irrigation canals and averting navigation, damaging rice
fields, eutrophication etc. Composting can be one of the suitable
options for management and disposal of this free floating weed, as
the process is ecologically sound and economically viable, and helps
in reducing large quantities of organic wastes. Chemical analyses
used in previous studies to determine the quality and stability of
compost is time consuming and unreliable. Therefore, the aim of this
study is to employ modern spectroscopic and thermal analyses during
agitated pile and rotary drum composting of water hyacinth and its
different waste combinations with cattle manure and sawdust. During
phase 1 of the project, samples were prepared by pile and drum
composting techniques. In phase 2, spectroscopic and thermal analysis
of these collected samples will be done.

3. COMPOSTING

4. MATERIAL FLOW FOR CONVENTIONAL
COMPOSTING PROCESS
C, N, Inorganic, Composting Humic substances,
Pathogens, Weed Mixing Process Curing Inorganic micro-
seeds, Microbes organisms

5. PHASES IN COMPOSTING PROCESS
• Time necessary for microorganisms to colonize in
Latent phase new environment
• Rise of biologically produced temperature to
Growth
phase mesophilic level
Thermophilic
• Temperature rises to highest level
phase
• Temperature decreases to mesophlilic and,
Maturation
phase consequently ambient levels

6. PATTERNS OF TEMPERATURE AND
MICROBIAL GROWTH DURING
COMPOSTING

7. ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Nutrient balance Particle size
• Organisms involved in stabilization of • Particle size of composting materials should
organic matter utilize about 30 parts of C be as small as possible so as to allow for
for each part of N efficient aeration
Moisture control Aeration requirement
• Optimum moisture content is known to be • Necessary to ensure that oxygen is
between 50-60% supplied throughout the mass and aerobic
activity is maintained
Temperature
• Optimum temperature varies for different
feedstocks or materials. However, most
data indicate it to be between 50-600C

8. TYPES OF COMPOSTING
Composting
Open Process Reactor Process
Agitated Pile Static Pile / Vertical Flow Horizontal/Inclined Non-flow (Batch)
(Windrow) Aerated Pile

9. WINDROW COMPOSTING

10. AERATED STATIC PILE

11. ROTARY DRUM COMPOSTER

12. WATER HYACINTH

13. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Considered to be world’s worst aquatic plants
Ability to reproduce exponentially interferes with
agricultural and infrastructural projects
Can present many problems for fishermen
Blamed for reduction of biodiversity
Low oxygen conditions create breading conditions for
mosquito vectors of malaria, encephalitis and filariasis

14. POTENTIAL UTILIZATION
As a phytoremediation agent
• Ability to grow in heavily polluted water together with its capacity for metal ion
accumulation makes it suitable for treating wastewaters
Power alcohol production
• Relatively high content of hemicellulose indicates it could be a good source of
hemicellulose for bioconversion
Biogas production
• Possibility of converting water hyacinth to biogas has also emerged as an area
of major interest for many years
Animal fodder/fish feed
• High water and mineral content of water hyacinth indicates that the nutrients in
water hyacinth are suitable to some animals

15. COMPOST MATERIAL
Water
Hyacinth
Sawdust Cattle
Manure

16. WASTE COMPOSITIONS AND
CHARACTERISTICS
Parameters and Trials Water Hyacinth Sawdust Cattle Manure
Trial 1 150 0 0
Trial 2 120 15 15
Trial 3 105 15 30
Trial 4 90 15 45
Trial 5 75 15 60
pH 5.79 6.155 6.65
Conductivity (dS/m) 4.91 0.389 3.31
Moisture content(%) 85.535 10.015 80.92
Volatile Solids 72.641 97.871 72.054

17. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Agitated Pile and Rotary Drum composting
Waste collection and charaterization
Pile & Drum Start up and Waste Feeding
Different Operating Scenarios
5 trials of different waste combinations
Sampling & Analysis
Preparing Database & Report

18. SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Thermogravimetric Analysis
Differential Thermogravimetry
Differential scanning calorimetry

19. FOURIER TRANSFORM FTIR Spectra of composted
INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY olive-mill wastes at various
stages of maturation

20. THERMOGRAVIMETRIC
ANALYSIS

21. DIFFERENTIAL
THERMOGRAVIMETRY

22. DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING
CALORIMETRY

23. SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES IN
COMPOSTING
Year Raw Material Spectroscopic Technique
1990 Cattle manure FTIR
1998 Pig manure FTIR
2003 Municipal Solid Waste Thermal analysis
2003 Olive Mill wastes FTIR
2005 Sewage sludge and green plant waste FTIR
2007 Winery and Distillery residues Thermal analysis
2009 Olive mill residues FTIR & DSC

24. PHASE II
Spectrocopic and Thermal analysis of samples
Agitated Pile – Samples from day 0, 18 and 30 to be
analyzed
Rotary Drum – Samples from day 0, 12 and 20 to be
analyzed
5 different waste combinations will be tested
Total 30 samples to be analyzed by FTIR, TGA, DTG and
DSC

25. 1634
2924
3434
Water Hyacinth
% Transmittance
1020
2920
1643
1042
Cattle Manure 3405
603
1260 2921
1639
1035
Saw Dust 3430
500 1000 1500 3000 3500 4000
-1
Wavenumber (cm )

26. REFERENCES
1. Gunnarsson, C.C., Petersen, C.M., 2007. Water hyacinths as a resource
in agriculture and energy production:A literature review. Waste
Management 27, 117-129.
2. Hsu, J.H., Lo, S.L., 1999. Chemical and spectroscopic analysis of
organic matter transformations during composting of pig manure.
Environ. Pollut. 104, 189–196.
3. Haug, R.T., 1993. The practical handbook of composting engineering.
Lewis publishers.
4. Jouraiphy, A., Amir, S., El Gharous, M., Revel, J-C., Hafidi, M., 2005.
Chemical and spectroscopic analysis of organic matter transformation
during composting of sewage sludge and green plant waste.
International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 56, 101-108.
5. Kalamdhad, A., Ali, M., Khwairakpam, M., & Kazmi, A. (2009).
Organic metter transformation during rtary drum composting. Dynamic
Soil, Dynamic Plant.

27. THANK YOU Presentation by –
Shreyas Nangalia
09012227