• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.160-167
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate efficiency of soil microbial inoculator for active composting of food waste. In addition the number of microorganisms in roil microbial inoculator and the effect of seeding in the process of composting were investigated. food waste samples collected from a refectory were analyzed for physical-chemical properties. The samples were adjusted to moisture content of 65% by saw dust and seeded with soil microbial inoculator of 10% by the weight in case of reactor B. The number of microorganisms, aerobic bacteria, actinomyces, yeast, and fungi in soil microbial inoculator were over $2.98{\times}10^9/g$, $3.93{\times}10^7/g$, $1.21{\times} 10^5/g$, and $5.79{\times}10^7/g$, respectively. During the process of composting, the highest temperatures were $63.4^{\circ}C$ at reactor A(unseeded control)after 10 days and $66.8^{\circ}C$ at reactor B(seeded compost) after 4 days. The pH values of reactor A and B rapidly increased after 3 days and after first few days during composting period, respectively. The highest $CO_2$ concentrations were 6.1%(after 10 days) and 10.8%(afer 4 days) in reactor A and B, respectively. The degradation rates of organic matter(rd) between reactor A and B increased by 17.1% and 64.5%, respectively Consequently, the effects of Inoculation on comporting parameter such as temperature increasing, pH change, chemical properties, and the degradation rates of organic matter(rd) were higher in seeded compost than in unseeded control.