Abstract

Method of conditioning of compost with solution of peroxyacetic mixture (MA). The conditioning process consists in saturation of the substrate with water followed by washing with a volume of an aqueous solution of MA between 1 and 10 times equivalent to the volume of compost. The peroxyacetic mixture (MA) is an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide (PH) and peracetic acid (PAA) in different proportions. The concentration of MA in the aqueous solution which we propose for use as compost conditioner is in the range 1-10%. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the MA is in the range 10-40% and that of peroxyacetic acid (C2H4O3) ranges from 1 to10%. The compost conditioning method using peroxyacetic mixture (MA) for direct use thereof as an agronomic and forestry substrate is intended for production of high quality compost, which may even serve as an alternative to Sphagnum peat, with the advantage that the environmental and economic cost of this method is less than the alternatives.