Optimizing green waste composting with iron-based Fenton-like process.

ABSTRACT

The presence of refractory lignocellulose presents a significant challenge in green waste (GW) composting. This research applied both a conventional iron-based Fenton-like process (with a Fenton-like reagent composed of 1.0 % Fe3O4 nanoparticles and 1.0 % H2O2) and three modified iron-based Fenton-like processes (with a Fenton-like reagent composed of 1.0 % Fe3O4 nanoparticles and 1.0 % oxalic acid/1.0 % sodium percarbonate/0.5 % Phanerochaete chrysosporium) in GW composting to systematically assess their impacts on lignocellulose degradation during GW composting. The results revealed that iron-based Fenton-like process modified sodium percarbonate exhibited the most significant effects on lignocellulose degradation. Compared with control, degradation rates for lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose increased by 49.8 %, 39.3 %, and 26.2 % (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, this process enhanced the relative abundance of bacterial communities linked to lignocellulose degradation, particularly Firmicutes and Bacteroidota. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing GW composting, understanding reactive oxygen species dynamics, and the application of iron-based Fenton-like process.