AMMONIA EMISSION DURING COMPOSTING AND VERMICOMPOSTING PROCESSES: PRACTICAL AND APPLIED ASPECTS

Abstract

Composting and vermicomposting are viable alternatives for the treatment and management of different organic wastes from agricultural/livestock and agroindustrial activities. However, during both processes there are gas emissions, some with greenhouse effect like methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide; and others like ammonia, which is not considered as a greenhouse gas, but is precursor of nitrous oxide. The loss of nitrogen (N) during the composting process is estimated to be from 4 % to 60 % with regards to the initial N through the volatilization of NH₃. This depends primarily on the composting method and on the carbon:nitrogen (C:N) relation, water content, aeration, and pH, while vermicomposting shows ranges of 8 % to 15 % of losses from ammonia volatilization with regards to total initial nitrogen.