Mahmoud Y.I., A. Abdelaziz, A.A. Alkahal( 2012). The Feasibility of Composting Olive Mill Solid Residues With Various Agricultural WastesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. 4. No. 1. January
Abstract: The quality of composting six different mixtures of olive cake and agricultures wastes were evaluated by their physicochemical and microbiological parameters and by seed germination bioassay as a sensitive indicator
for phytotoxicity. The composting process was monitoring for 12 weeks. During the composting process, the results showed that compost temperature evolution followed a normal pattern, a decrease in C/N ratio and slow decomposition of organic matter were noted. As total nitrogen and ammoniacal-N, increased, the nitrate nitrogen, decreased in all mixtures. The compost pH and EC were at the required levels at all stages in the process. Total phosphorus was decreased whears total potassium was increased during the composting process. The results also showed that the final products were free from total and fecal coliform, Salmonella and Shigella.
However, according to the values of the phytotoxicity test of all compost extracts on cress seeds, it was found that compost extracts are differ in their germination index. There is a direct correlation of phytotoxicity with the content of the compost mixtures. In brief, it is concluded that composting of olive oil solid residue seems to be a feasible method to reduce the toxicity of this waste and to turn it into a valuable product. However, to achieve this method, the optimization the quantities and kinds of the initial composting mixtures is extremely important to obtain a safe product.
Keywords: (Olive mill solid waste, compost, agricultural wastes.)
