Preparation, Characterization, and Testing of Compost Tea Derived from Seaweed and Fish Residues
Andrei Moț,
Oana Cristina Pârvulescu,
Violeta Alexandra Ion,
Ailin Moloșag,
Aurora Dobrin,
Liliana Bădulescu,
Cristina Orbeci,
Diana Egri,
Tănase Dobre,
Anne-Kristin Løes,
Joshua Cabell,
Athanasios Salifoglou,
Sevasti Matsia,
Carlos Octavio Letelier-Gordo,
Cristian Răducanu,
Alexandra Mocanu
Affiliations
Andrei Moț
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
Oana Cristina Pârvulescu
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Violeta Alexandra Ion
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
Ailin Moloșag
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
Aurora Dobrin
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
Liliana Bădulescu
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
Cristina Orbeci
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Diana Egri
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Tănase Dobre
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Anne-Kristin Løes
Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture, Gunnarsveg 6, NO-6630 Tingvoll, Norway
Joshua Cabell
Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture, Gunnarsveg 6, NO-6630 Tingvoll, Norway
Athanasios Salifoglou
School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Corner of September 3rd and Egnatia St., 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Sevasti Matsia
School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Corner of September 3rd and Egnatia St., 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Carlos Octavio Letelier-Gordo
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, Section for Aquaculture, Technical University of Denmark, 9850 Hirtshals, Denmark
Cristian Răducanu
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandra Mocanu
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gheorghe Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Non-aerated compost tea (CT) was prepared from compost derived from rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) and fish (cod, common ling, haddock, saithe) residues that fermented in water. Electrical conductivity, pH, concentrations of dry matter, ash, C, macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), and micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, and Zn) of CT prepared under different fermentation conditions were measured. The effects of process factors, i.e., water/compost mass ratio (4.2–9.8 g/g) and fermentation time (4.2–9.8 days = 100–236 h), on the physicochemical properties of CT were quantified using quadratic polynomial models. CT obtained at optimal levels of process factors (4.2 g/g and 5.6 days = 134 h) was tested for lettuce seed germination and seedling growth. Diluted CT (25% CT + 75% ultrapure water) improved seedling growth while achieving a high germination percentage (97%).
