Abstract:
This study was proposed to produce compost from the domestic food wastes (DFW)
collected from the main dump-site at Oda Road in Akure. Microorganisms associated with
domestic food wastes were isolated using standard microbiological and biochemical
methods. The bacterial isolates were Azotobacter species, Bacillus megaterium, B.
sphaericus, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Kurthia spp., Lactobacillus delbrueckii, L.
jensenii, Listeria monocytogenes and Macromonas mobilis. The fungal isolates were
Amblyosporium botrytis, Geotrichum albidum, Gloeosporium nervisequum, Sepedonium
ampullosporum, Streptothrix atra and Variscosporium elodeae. AutocJaved freshly
generated domestic food wastes were inoculated with different isolated microflora and left
to decompose for 28 days at 28°C; sampling was done to assess the microbial load,
physicochemical properties and weights at 7-day intervals.
The moisture, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate and ash contents were 67.99-76.92%, 5.11-
8.91%, 0.54-1.17%, 0.62-1.26 %, 11.32-15.95% and 3.78-7.71 % respectively.
Concentrations of the anti nutritional factors were 8.57 ± 0.06mg/g (phytate), 0.89 ± 0.01%
(tannin), 0.17 ± 0.02mg/g (oxalate), 0.18 ± O.Olmglkg (total cyanide) and 0.24 ± 0.01%
(saponin) in the composts made with B. sphaericus, M mobilis, L. jensenii and unsterilized
wastes from the dumpsite. The best sources of macronutrients (N, P, K, Mg and Ca)
required for plant's growth in this work were the composts prepared with B. megaterium,
G. stearothermophilus, Geotrichuim albidum, Kurthia species, Lactobacillus delbrueckii,
L. jensenii, M. mobilis, Listeria monocytogenes and Variscosporium e/odeae. Among the
microbes identified, the composts constituted with L. delbrueckii and B. sphaericus
emerged the best, in producing the micronutrients (Mn, Zn, Cu and Fe).
The effect of the composts on the growth of maize showed that there was a great positive
effect of the composts on the growth of maize. Decomposition of domestic food wastes
produced compost that can be used to enhance plant growth. Also, compo sting the DFW
can be employed to prevent or reduce environmental pollution and health related problems.
