A Method for Determining the Ultimate Fate of Synthetic Chemicals during Composting

▪ Pollution control workers have proposed composting as a bioremediation method for the cleanup of contaminated soil and for the detoxification of hazardous organic chemicals. However, decomposition (mineralization to CO2 and H2O) may not always be enhanced by composting, and transformation products of unknown risk may accumulate during composting. This paper presents a scientifically based scheme to determine the ultimate fate of synthetic materials in a composting environment, and for studying factors that may control the degradation of specific chemicals including herbicides (e.g., substrate bioavailability, enzyme concentrations, environmental conditions).