Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA)

Extensive research has been conducted on creating compost from food waste by integrating various materials such as biochar and animal manure. Compost optimization often requires incorporating materials to enhance its effectiveness in promoting plant growth, rather than solely relying on food waste. However, there is a scarcity of studies assessing its effectiveness in practical applications until the compost is integrated with other materials. Hence, this study investigated the interaction between physicochemical characterization of organic food waste compost through its maturity and stability and aims to optimize the formulation of compost using food waste exclusively with its application effectiveness for sustainable approach of agriculture farming. In this work, a comprehensive investigation was conducted to explore the progression and characterization of this process. Compost produced from organic food waste was also evaluated for its maturity and stability using (i) structural characterization (scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area); (ii) spectroscopic analysis (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR); (iii) thermogravimetric (TG) analysis; and (iv) DPPH scavenging activity. To assess the practical applicability of the compost, a model involving the utilization of the compost on mung bean plants was employed for assessment. Our results on SEM, BET, FT-IR, and TGA indicated that the finished compost was stable and proved maturity only when incorporated with eggshells. The compost exhibited favorable physicochemical and structural characteristics, leading to successful practical application.