Thermophilic Composting of Human Feces: Development of Bacterial Community Composition and Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Pool.

ABSTRACT: In times of climate change, practicing sustainable, climate-resilient, and productive agriculture is of primordial importance. Compost from different resources, now treated as wastes, could be one form of sustainable fertilizer creating a resilience of agriculture to the adverse effects of climate change. However, the safety of the produced compost regarding human pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and related resistance genes must be considered. We have assessed the effect of thermophilic composting of dry toilet contents, green cuttings, and straw, with and without biochar, on fecal indicators, the bacterial community, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Mature compost samples were analyzed regarding fecal indicator organisms, revealing low levels of Escherichia coli that are in line

SUBMITTER: Werner KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8895236 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature