Effect of Bamboo Vinegar on Control of Nitrogen Loss in Vegetable Waste and Manure Composting

The large-scale generation of vegetable waste in China has become a significant environmental concern. The traditional method of composting results in high nitrogen losses during the process and in the final product. To address this issue and shorten the composting period, this study investigated the effects of bamboo vinegar (BV) and a microbial inoculant (MI) on the physical and chemical properties of the compost and bacterial community composition during the composting process. The results revealed that the addition of BV and BV + MI decreased the time required to reach thermophilic temperatures and conserved nitrogen in the final product. Furthermore, it was found that the dominant nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, as identified through 16S rDNA analysis, belonged to Nitrosomonas and Proteobacteria, respectively. BV and BV + MI reduced NH3 and N2O emissions, which suggested that BV is a beneficial composting agent that preserves nitrogen during the composting process.