Transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and 14C-labelled organic contaminants during composting of municipal biowaste.
Composting of municipal biowaste in the presence of 14C-labelled organic contaminants was studied in an attempt to characterize the mobilization potential of dissolved organic matter (DOM) for hydrophobic contaminants. The properties and transformation of DOM extracted from municipal biowaste compost with 10 mM KCl at six stages during 370 days of composting were investigated. DOM was fractionated into molecular weight fractions by ultrafiltration, and DOM structure was studied using CPMAS 13C-NMR- and UV-spectroscopy. The distribution of 14C-labelled model substances (DEHP, pyrene, simazine) upon molecular weight fractions was investigated by ultrafiltration, and association to DOM was studied performing flocculation experiments. The binding capacity of DOM for the model substances was of secondary influence for the mobilization because the intense biochemical reactions during composting pre-dominated the fate of the substances. Composting favoured the degradation of model substances to polar metabolites and supported their binding to the DOM matrix. DEHP and simazine were mainly found in the low- to medium-molecular DOM fraction and showed a small amount of DOM-associated radioactivity (approx. 10%). Pyrene and its metabolites had high affinities to high-molecular DOM. However, a direct relationship between DOM-quality and enhancement of pyrene solubility was not visible. After 120 days of composting DOM showed the highest binding capacity for hydrophobic contaminants.