Stable isotopes to investigate decay processes in farm wastes

摘要

Decay rates of organic matter within farm wastes have been determined using deuterated phenol (d_5) and acetic acid (d_4) over a 10 day period. Production and decay rates of compounds responsible for odour and pollution were also quantified, these were the volatile fatty acids, phenols and indoles as well as methane and carbon dioxide. The relative rates of emission, bio-regeneration and bio-decay were calculated. 70% of acetic acid was lost through emission and 30% decayed within the waste to products such as methane. Regeneration was 10% of the total lost. The emission of methane was 4.0 g t~(-1) d~(-1). The ratio of methane generated to the decay of the acetic acid concentration was 1:66 respectively. Phenol concentration demonstrated a maximum of 85 mg l~(-1) after 175 hr. Ammonia was emitted at a rate of 4.7 g m~(-2) d~(-1).