PILOT PRODUCTION OF A NEW FERTILIZER FROM COMPOST, ORGANIC FARM RESIDUES AND BIOCHAR Alice Dall’Ara - ENEA Silvia Serranti - DICMA, La Sapienza University Giuseppe Bonifazi - DICMA, La Sapienza University Laura Billi – ARPA Emilia-Romagna AgataTrella - DICMA, La Sapienza University Carlos García Izquierdo - CEBAS-CSIG Vanni Tisselli- ASTRA Innovazione e Sviluppo LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 1 H14 – Esempi di progetti EU LIFE

The context Organic fertilizers are essential essenscial) for sustainable saste inabol agriculture, in order to maintain organic matter and fertility in soils. Crop harvesting needs nutrient input, often supplied by means of mineral fertilizers, in particular N and P compounds. Different kinds of selected organic waste and by- products are available evèilabol UOW (Urban Organic Waste) FOR (Farm Organic Residues) BIOCHAR also from energy production LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 2 Sardinia 2015

It is charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass can be used to lock carbon in the soil: potential for carbon sequestration, simply because bio-char is so stable and is not accessible to normal microbial decay; can prevent the leaching of nutrients out of the soil, partly because it absorbs and immobilizes certain amounts of nutrients, however, too much immobilization can be harmful modest additions to soil were found to reduce N 2 O emissions by up to 80% and completely suppress methane mezeiìn emissions Soils require active carbon to maintain micro and macro populations, C/N high N immobilization LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 3 BIOCHAR The context Sardinia 2015

The context Circular economy (COM(2014) 398) Turning waste into a resource and minimizing the resources escaping from the circle are part of ‘closing the loop’ EU 7th Environment Action Programme to reduce waste generation, to recycle waste into a major, reliable source of raw materials for the Union, to recover energy only from non-recyclable materials and to virtually eliminate landfilling Directive 2008/98/CE LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 4 Sardinia 2015

The Project Title: LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 - RESAFE “Innovative fertilizer from urban waste, bio-char and farm residues as substitute of chemical fertilizers" Duration: 24 Months Start date: 01 January 2014 End date: 31 December 2015 Number of beneficiaries: 5 Involved countries: Italy, Spain and Cyprus LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 5 Co-funded by European Commission within LIFE PROGRAMME Sardinia 2015

The Project Current European RESAFE project (LIFE12 ENV/IT/356), co- funded by European Commission in LIFE Programme, aims at demonstrating high quality organic fertilizer production via selected waste recycling and its field application. RESAFE (REduced SAlinity FErtilizer) Organic fertilizers HQ-ORBP Salinity, 50% substitution mineral fertilization LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 6 Sardinia 2015

Selection criteria for HQ-ORBP production in the categories UOW-FOR-BIOCHAR: Organic matter content and stability, Nutrient content and salinity, Biological activity for C, N and P cycle, Local availability 7 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE M&M: raw materials Sardinia 2015

Different analytical techniques: Physical-chemical and chemical parameters (pH, salinity, moisture, ashes, Carbon: TC, TOC, water soluble Carbon; Nitrogen: Total N and water soluble N; macro and micronutrients) Microbiological and biochemical parameters (Microbial respiration and Enzymatic activities); HSI monitoring, correlated with a few chemical-physical parameters. Ecocompatibility (heavy metals,..) Thermogravimetric analyses XRD analyses SEM characterization Phytotoxicity (Germination Index,..) Hygienical aspects (Salmonella,..) 8 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE M&M: monitoring Sardinia 2015

β-glucosidase activity was determined by the method of Tabatabai (1982) and Eivazi&Tabatabai (1988) EC Selected Raw materials They give different indications. For CY UOW high enzymatic activity, low salinity Except Bio-char, raw materials are active from a the microbial point of view compost LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 9 Sardinia 2015

Selected raw materials Italy Spain Cyprus LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 10 Sardinia 2015

Production of HQ-ORBP fertilizer at laboratory scale investigated pathways LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE M&M: lab scale test 11 Compost Poultry manure FERTILIZER CONTROL FERTILIZER CONTROL Compost Poultry manure BIOTREATMENT Compost BIO-CHAR BIOTREATMENT HIGH QUALITY FERTILIZER HIGH QUALITY FERTILIZER Poultry manure HIGH QUALITY FERTILIZER HIGH QUALITY FERTILIZER UFV UFVB UF Sardinia 2015

Complex product with biological activity, obtained from selected vegetables is added at the beginning of the process. European patent by Amek scrl (EP ) applicable on biomass stabilisation and maturation, with reduction of smelly emissions. The complex product contains enzymes but also microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) which help the biostabilization. Proper bio-treatment LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE P 12 Sardinia 2015

M&M: Lab scale plant in Italy Demonstration of HQ-ORBP (High Quality Organic Matter Based Product) production at laboratory level PAV 13 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Sardinia 2015

M&M: Sample collection Samples were collected at t=0, 20, 40 and 60 days. They were shared between beneficiaries to perform the analyses. 14 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Sardinia 2015

Trend of salinity, expressed as Electric Conductivity, during HQ-ORBP production a slow continuous reduction for UFVB, with subtle final differences … no losses Parameters T0T20T40T60 UFUFVUFVBUFUFVUFVBUFUFVUFVBUFUFV UFV B pH Humidity LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Results: salinity Salinity rating High Moderate Low

Results: carbon 16 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE high organic carbon content, characteristics of good amendments with all functions Water soluble fraction readily available Constant for UF UFVB slight decrease*

Results: Nitrogen 17 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Sardinia 2015 Soluble Total Nitrogen shows a decrease of about 30% after 40 days

Results:Macro/micronutrients ParameterUnitUFdsUFVdsUFVBds Pg/100g Kg/100g Mgg/100g Znmg/kg Cumg/kg Mnmg/kg Cag/100g Nag/100g LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Macro and Micronutrients average concentration in considered samples Sardinia 2015 P K Na lower than K

Results: enzymatic activities LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE β–glucosidase enzyme, as indicator of transformation connected to C cycle 19 Sardinia 2015 two different kinetics, in presence or absence of biotreatment : without biotreatment, for UF there is a gradual decrease; for UFV and UFVB, initial stability and sharp decline from 20 to 40 days, reaching final values

Results: microbial respiration LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Accumulative respiration results during 60 day processing 20 Sardinia 2015 first phase with a slow down of microbial activity (20 days) and further phases with improved respiration

Results: SEM analysis UFV T0 Analysis SEMQuant results LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE UFV B 21 Sardinia 2015

The main crystallographic phases from XRD patterns are: Calcite, silica and struvite at final times Results:XRD analysis UFVB T60 XRD for IT-SAMPLES CalciteSilicaStruvite amorphous contributes around 20 LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 22 Sardinia 2015

23 Samples IT-UFV-6040 T0 CalciteSilicaX IT-UFVB-6040 T0 CalciteSilicaX IT-UFV-6040 T20 CalciteSilicaX IT-UFVB-6040 T20 CalciteSilicaX IT-UFV ,2 T40 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFVB ,2 T40 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFV T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFV T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFV T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFVB T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFVB T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite IT-UFVB T60 CalciteSilicaStruvite Main crystallographic phases Struvite presence after 40 days LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE (NH 4 )MgPO 4 ·6(H 2 O) Struvite is NP fertiliser N-slow release Sardinia 2015

Product Monitoring by HSI LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Prediction of soluble Nitrogen (Italian samples) 24 Sardinia 2015

HQ-ORBPs show: a high organic content, basis for: i)increasing available water capacity, ii)improving plants’ nutrients supplies, iii)restoring the soil structure, iv)minimizing risk of soil erosion. different stability degree of soil organic matter is fundamental also for microorganism life, optimization of enzymatic yield both macronutrients and essential elements, providing complex fertilizers absolute salinity values close to the range 2-4 mS/cm, between moderate and low salinity Hyperspectral imaging was successfully applied, verifying the possibility to follow the curing process of the innovative fertilizer through a fast and nondestructive technique. Recipe UFVB applied to pilot plant and then to crop harvesting in field test. Ratio 50:50 Conclusion LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 25 Sardinia 2015

A reduction of N soluble from t= 40 days, without reduction of N content can be correlated to less mobile form, e.g. crystallization. Also activity, connected to C cycle, decrease after 40 days, may be with formation of molecules more stable and less digestible, less olfactive impact The “prevention mechanisms” could be based on struvite H 16 MgNO 10 P (NH 4 )MgPO 4 ·6(H 2 O)) formation. Struvite being a Nitrogen and Phosphorus sink. The aim of the project is to obtain a unique HQ fertilizer with action on 1.Soil (structural action also to prevent desertification, Southern Europe) 2.Plants (nutrients) The final HQ-fertiliser quality can be connected with the presence of organic matter, macro and essential plant-available secondary and micronutrients, towards the “micronutrient-fortified fertiliser” concept LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE 26 Conclusion Sardinia 2015

Further step Italy LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Lab scale HQ-Fertiliser production Pilot scale HQ-Fertiliser production 27 Sardinia 2015 Recipe! 50:50:10 Recipe! 60:40:10 in Spain

LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE In the next months RESAFE LIFE Project will show the efficiency of these new fertilizers on soil quality, crop productivity and plant yield. Different field tests will be performed in the different countries on the following crops: Wheat Corn Potato Tomato Melon Further Step 28 Sardinia 2015

LIFE12 ENV/IT/356 RESAFE Thank you for your attention! Alice Dall’Ara ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development SSTP-PROMAS-TEMAF Material Technologies Faenza Via Ravegnana, Faenza, Italy Innovative fertilizer from urban waste, bio- char and farm residues as substitute of chemical fertilizers 29 Sardinia 2015