ASSESSMENT OF BIOREMEDIATION METHODS TO EFFICIENTLY MANAGE FORESTRY WASTES WHILST CONCURRENTLY EVALUATING THE MATURITY STATUS OF COMPOST

Environmental pollution driven by human activities and urbanization poses significant global challenge in recent decades.Converting organic waste by composting waste in to organic fertilizer is a sustainable environmental protection approach.Compost must reach a stable and mature state to be agriculturally viable.This study assesses compost maturity of conventional and vermicompost methods by employing physico-chemical and spectroscopic analyses of water extracts of different forestry substrates.Initially the effectiveness of humification parameters such as polymerization ratio, humification index and degree of humification determining compost maturity were assessed.Next the impact of the composting techniques related to physico-chemical properties of compost was compared.Finally, the viability of composting as a bioremediation tool for the forestry and agricultural wastes was studied.The findings showed significant variability in humification parameters among compost types, with no single indicator consistently reflecting maturity.The polymerization ratio was higher in Albizia litter, humification ratio was greater in teak litter, and the degree of humification was high in coffee pulp.Physico-chemical analysis revealed an increase in pH towards neutrality, and electrical conductivity during composting.Carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) decreased during decomposition.The nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient contents were high in vermicompost than conventional compost.The degree of humification to aromatic carbon (E4/E6) ratio correlates with the composting process.These findings pave the way for improved agricultural and forestry waste management.