Chemical analysis of the compost produced in Mashhad city and comparison with standards

Most of municipal solid wastes are of organic compounds. Biological conversion of these solid wastes and the organic material under proper conditions in order to produce fertilizer is known as compost. Many factors such as electrical conductivity, moisture, ash, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium and potassium are involved in favorable compost production. It plays an essential role in health of environment through the soil fertilization and desirable productions. The purpose of this study is to compare the compost quality produced in Mashhad with existing standards. This study was conducted for 2 months on compost produced in Mashhad compost factory. In order to determine chemical properties of this compost; the properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, percentage of moisture, ash, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium and Potassium were analyzed. Average values of chemical properties were as follow: pH: (8.005), electrical conductivity: (4/48 ds/m), the percentage of moisture: (19.65), the percentage of ash: (48.47), the percentage of carbon: (27.07), the percentage of nitrogen: (0.79), the percentage of phosphorous: (0.13), the percentage of sodium: (1) and the percentage of potassium: (1.5). The results of this study showed that the pH, electrical conductivity, and percentage of ash and moisture content were in an acceptable range, the percentage of carbon, nitrogen, and sodium were relatively in acceptable range, but the percentage of phosphorus and potassium were lower than desirable amounts. On the whole the chemical properties of these compost fertilizers are desirable and can used as soil amendments.