Abstract

INIGUEZ, Gilberto et al. UTILIZACIÓN DE SUPBRODUCTOS DE LA INDUSTRIA TEQUILERA. PARTE 7. COMPOSTAJE DE BAGAZO DE AGAVE Y VINAZAS TEQUILERAS. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2005, vol.21, n.1, pp.37-50. ISSN 0188-4999.

In this research work the degradation process of agave bagasse was studied. For this, eight agave bagasse piles were prepared using four different treatments with two replicates per treatment. Treatment 1 consisted of agave bagasse wetted with tap water; treatment 2, agave bagasse wetted with vinasses; treatment 3, agave bagasse with urea wetted with tap water; and treatment 4 agave bagasse with urea wetted with vinasses. While making the piles, five temperature sensors were placed at different heights. Temperature readings were averaged on a daily basis and reported for the composting period. Every two months, the piles were moved to facilitate aeration and the addition of water and/or vinasses. Samples were taken for the analysis of pH, organic matter and cellulose. At the end of the composting time, composts were subjected to analysis of ash, total organic carbon, N, P, K and conductivity. Composts were also subjected to qualitative bioassay to screen for the presence of phytotoxins using seedling emergence, relative growth, in vitro germination and root elongation. For treatments 1 and 2 the organic matter (OM) and cellulose degradation followed a first order reaction with respect to time. Treatments 3 and 4 showed the evolution of OM and cellulose degradation following a mixed order reaction. The composting time for treatments 1 and 2 was 142 days, having achieved a total loss of dry matter of about 52.8 % and 59.1 % respectively. For treatments 3 and 4, the composting time was 208 and 228 days, with a total loss of dry matter of about 56.7 % and 63.7 %, respectively. Composts from the four treatments had no adverse effects on seedling emergence, relative growth, in vitro germination and root elongation of cucumber seeds.

Keywords : agave bagasse; vinasses; biodegradation; composting.

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