Microbes at Work From Wastes to Resources
Among the goals of environmentally sound waste treatment is the recycling of organic wastes. The most practiced options are composting and anaerobic digestion, both processes being carried out by microorganisms. This book provides an overview of the vario
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Heribert Insam Marta Goberna
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Ingrid Franke-Whittle
Editors
Microbes at Work From Wastes to Resources
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Editors Prof. Dr. Heribert Insam Universita¨t Innsbruck Inst. Mikrobiologie Technikerstr. 25 6020 Innsbruck Austria [email protected]
Dr. Ingrid Franke-Whittle Universita¨t Innsbruck Inst. Mikrobiologie Technikerstr. 25 6020 Innsbruck Austria [email protected]
Dr. Marta Goberna Universita¨t Innsbruck Inst. Mikrobiologie Technikerstr. 25 6020 Innsbruck Austria [email protected]
ISBN: 978-3-642-04042-9 e-ISBN: 978-3-642-04043-6 DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-04043-6 Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2009938021 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: WMXDesign GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
Various approaches to environmentally sound waste-treatment processes have been designed and developed in recent years. Biological treatments are the best alternative to the disposal of the putrescent fraction of separately collected biowaste, as these technologies maximize recycling and recovery of the waste components. Composting, the biological degradation of organic wastes to humus, saves natural resources, and the application of composts may enhance the organic carbon status in soil, thereby contributing to a decrease in atmospheric CO2. The use of compost is also known to exert positive effects on the physical properties of soil, such as increasing the soil porosity, enhancing microbial activities and the ability to suppress plant diseases, and therefore reducing the need for pesticides. Anaerobic digestion is the biological process for the decomposition of organic waste in the absence of oxygen. This process converts the organic part of the waste into stable substances through a number of complex bacterial reactions and produces biogas, an important asset in times of decreasing fossil fuel supplies and concerns about rises in greenhouse gases, as well as an anaerobic sludge that can be used as a fertilizer and for soil conditioning. Anaerobic digestion is increasingly replacing aerobic degradation
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