TY - CHAP A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Dornack, Christina A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Krümmelbein, Julia A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Quality and condition of residues from organic waste fermentation with regard to its usage as soil amendment T2 - Proceedings, Fifth International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste, San Servolo, Venice, Italy, 17-20 November 2014 N2 - The input of biowaste material in biogas plants has increased in the recent years. With that comes a certain amount of residues that can potentially be applied as organic soil amendment in order to recycle nutrients and to maintain and improve soil functions. The aim of this article is to give an impression of preliminary results of our study on characteristics of solid fermentation residues from different German biogas plants using organic waste material as main input substrate. A fundamental analysis shall reveal information such as material composition, nutrient and heavy metal concentration and impurity content. These characteristics are compared to existing data on composts and residues from organic waste treatment and will be evaluated in the context of organic amendment application. Y1 - 2014 UR - http://www.venicesymposium.it/symposium-proceedings.aspx PB - CISA Publisher CY - Padova ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Heinrich, Martina A1 - Dornack, Christina A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Conditioning of residues from anaerobic digestion of municipal organic waste with regard to its use as soil amendment T2 - 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, 6-9 June 2016, Book of abstracts N2 - The structural degradation of agricultural soils is an increasing problem of our times caused by intense land use. The treatment of soils with organic amendments shall maintain and improve long-term soil fertility. Solid residues from anaerobic digestion of municipal organic waste are rich in nutrients and organic matter and have a promising potential to be used as soil amendment. Less is known about characteristics of solid residues from organic waste digestion as composting of organic waste materials is still common. Before digestion residues can be applied to soils they need to be conditioned as they have a high impurity content (especially plastic bags and packaging materials) and need to meet the requirements of German regulation on biowaste (Bioabfallverordnung). Our research is investigating on conditioning methods for solid residues of municipal organic waste digestion with regard to the potential effect of products on soil structure, soil water regime and nutrient supply. Investigations have been made with different digestion residues from lab scale, semi-industrial and industrial scale biogas plants. Conditioning methods have been tested using our in-lab treatment facilities consisting of a drying, composting, sieving and pelletizing unit. Preliminary results show that drying and pelletizing measures influence hydrophobicity of digestion residues. As water repellency directly affects water flow and soil moisture this is a determining parameter regarding the amendment performance of conditioned products. Y1 - 2016 SP - S. 37 CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Krümmelbein, Julia T1 - Influence of soil amendments made from digestate on soil physics and the growth of spring wheat T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria, 17 April – 22 May 2016 N2 - Every year 13 million tons of organic wastes accumulate in Germany. These wastes are a potential alternative for the production of energy in biogas plants, especially because the financial subventions for the cultivation of renewable resources for energy production were omitted in 2014. The production of energy from biomass and organic wastes in biogas plants results in the accumulation of digestate and therefore causes the need for a sustainable strategy of the utilization of these residues. Within the scope of the BMBF-funded project ‘VeNGA - Investigations for recovery and nutrient use as well as soil and plant-related effects of digestate from waste fermentation’ the application of processed digestate as soil amendments is examined. Therefore we tested four different mechanical treatment processes (rolled pellets, pressed pellets, shredded compost and sieved compost) to produce soil amendments from digestate with regard to their impact on soil physics, soil chemistry and the interactions between plants and soil. Pot experiments with soil amendments were performed in the greenhouse experiment with spring wheat and in field trials with millet, mustard and forage rye. After the first year of the experiment, preliminary results indicate a positive effect of the sieved compost and the rolled pellets on biomass yield of spring wheat as compared to the other variations. First results from the Investigation on soil physics show that rolled pellets have a positive effect on the soil properties by influencing size and distribution of pores resulting in an increased water holding capacity. Further ongoing enhancements of the physical and chemical properties of the soil amendments indicate promising results regarding the ecological effects by increased root growth of spring wheat. Y1 - 2016 N1 - EGU2016-13395-1 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Heinrich, Martina A1 - Dornack, Christina A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Conditioning of solid residues from anaerobic digestion of municipal organic waste with regard to its use as soil amendment T2 - Venice 2016, 6th International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste 2016, Venice, Italy, 14-17 November 2016 N2 - To prevent structural degradation of agricultural soils and to maintain and improve long-term soil fertility the application of organic soil amendments is a common measure. Solid residues from anaerobic digestion of organic household waste are rich in nutrients and organic matter and have a promising potential to be used as soil amendment. However, less is known about characteristics of solid residues from organic household waste digestion and the effects of conditioning measures on substrate quality and amendment performance in soil. Before digestion residues can be applied to agricultural soils in Germany, they need to meet the requirements of Biowaste Ordinance (BioAbfV). Conditioning mainly focuses on reducing impurity content (especially plastic bags and packaging materials), securing hygiene of residues, reducing water content and developing tradable products. We studied the effect of drying, composting, sieving and pelletisation on final product characteristics. Investigations have been examined with solid digestates, composted digestates and pelletized digestates originating from the same organic waste input. Samples were retrieved from a semi-industrial biogas plant of the company GICON (Gemany) and a composting plant of the company Becker Umweltdienste (Germany). Investigations show that characteristics of organic household waste undergo a clear change during anaerobic digestion and subsequent composting of the digestate. The final composted product will mainly contribute to long-term development of soil fertiliy. The improvement of waste quality is the most important measure to ensure the provision of high-quality soil amendments. Investigations on the impact of digestate products on soil-water-regime however did not show a clear advantage of pelletized products over loose material. KW - anaerobic digestion KW - organic household waste KW - digestate treatment KW - pellets KW - soil amendment Y1 - 2016 SN - 978-88-6265-007-6 PB - CISA Publisher CY - Padova ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Effect of differently pelletized digestate on the plant growth of spring wheat T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2017, Vienna, Austria N2 - In Germany, biowaste is used in more than 100 biogas plants and has increasing potential as a fermentation substrate. To optimise waste cycle management organic digestates should be redistributed and innovative products for soil amendment of agricultural areas could be developed. The BMBF-funded VeNGA project seeks to find answers on how to improve the properties of soil amendments produced from fermentation residues. Here, we report findings from our study that focuses on plant growth and soil development. Within a three-month rhizotron experiment, the influence of differently prepared fermentation residues on the root development of summer wheat was investigated. The four variants of the prepared digestate (rolled pellet, pressed pellet, shredded, loose) were tested under constant conditions in the greenhouse on two soils with different textures (sandy and loamy-sand). All fermentation residues originated from the same batch and were composted before the preparation to ensure adequate hygienisation. Depending on preparation type and soil substrate significant differences in root growth and root development have been observed. Plant growth was most intense in the rhizotron experiment with the loose digestate, indicating high nutrient availability due to the large surface area of the organic matter. Plant growth in the substrate with the rolled and pressed pellets was less pronounced, indicating a more persistent stability of the pellets. In rhizotrons applied with rolled and pressed pellets root growth into the mineral fabric was significantly lower in sandy substrate than in the loamy-sand. However, in the sandy substrate root growth within the rolled pellets was more intense than in the substrate with the pressed pellets. Obviously, the different production techniques of the pellets seem to have an influence on the rooting of the pellets and facilitate the long term stability of soil organic carbon. Furthermore, the comparison of the two different textures indicate, that sandy substrates benefit more from the positive effects of soil amendments on increased water retention than loamy substrates. Y1 - 2017 UR - http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2017/EGU2017-6421.pdf N1 - EGU2017-6421 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Micromorphology of pelletized soil conditioners T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2017, Vienna, Austria N2 - Soil conditioners produced by anaerobic digestion and subsequent composting of organic household waste, bear the potential to improve unproductive farmland together with a reduced input risk of unwanted pollutants into the soils. Within the VeNGA project (http://www.biogas-network.de/venga), soil conditioners from anaerobically digested organic household waste are tested for their potential to increase plant growth in glasshouse and field experiments. Because the production techniques of these soil conditioners may influence their physical and chemical behaviour in the soil, two different techniques for pelletizing the soil conditioners where applied. We present findings from a pot experiment with cereal that has been sampled after two months for micromorphological analyses.We visualize the decomposition and the physical behaviour of the soil conditioners. Pellets produced in an agglomeration mixer result in dense balls, that are only slightly decomposed after the trial. But the soil conditioners created under pressure in a screw extruder are rich in voids and have the potential of retaining more soil water. Y1 - 2017 UR - http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2017/EGU2017-3996.pdf N1 - EGU2017-3996 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Knoop, Christine A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Heinrich, Martina A1 - Dornack, Christina A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Degradation of soil amendments produced from municipal organic waste digestate during a two-year field study T2 - 25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Stockholm, 2017 N2 - The structural degradation of agricultural soils is an increasing problem of our times caused by intense land use. The treatment of soils with organic amendments shall maintain and improve long-term soil fertility. Solid residues from anaerobic digestion of municipal organic waste (MOW) are rich in nutrients and organic matter and have a promising potential to be used as soil amendment. Our research investigates the characteristics of differently treated amendments produced from MOW digestate. We want to know how long these amendments are present in the soil and which amendment type contributes most to nutrient provision after application. Results were obtained using four different MOW digestate amendments of one origin (loose, pelletized and agglomerated) during a 24-hours shaker-experiment and a bag-experiment on grassland, which was subsequently sampled over 21 months. Results show that short-term element leaching is higher from loose amendment and small agglomerates, probably caused by higher surface area und lower stability of these amendments. Biggest degradation effects can be seen 7 months after application to soil. However, all four amendments are still present after 21 months. Pelletized amendments are more degradation resistant than loose amendment, which may be advantageous regarding long-term effects e.g. on water holding capacity. In turn, loose material delivers a higher share of small organic particles to soil and may therefore have a higher contribution to humus development. Y1 - 2017 SN - 978-88-89407-17-2 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5071/25thEUBCE2017-4AV.2.14 SP - 1720 EP - 1723 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Matvejeva, Agne A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Cultivation of industrial hemp using solid and liquid residues from municipal composting T2 - EGU General Assembly 2020, Online | 4–8 May 2020 Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-19138 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Wilkinson, Daniel A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Sut-Lohmann, Magdalena A1 - Geschke, Antonia A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Microplastics and earthworms in soils: A case study on translocation, toxicity and fate T2 - EGU General Assembly 2020 Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-7430 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Matvejeva, Agne A1 - Sut-Lohmann, Magdalena A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Heinrich, Martina A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Fiber hemp as a feasible crop for enhancing carbon sequestration and cultivation under water scarcity in sandy agricultural soils T2 - EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022 N2 - Extended dry periods and increasing soil degradation compel the conventional agriculture to shift towards the sustainable practices. Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) accounts for crops that require low agricultural inputs and has a high potential to improve soil health hence fertility. The rapid hemp growth, high biomass production and remarkably expanded rooting zone have the vast potential in carbon (C) sequestration and nitrogen (N) fixation. Hemp fibers in the European Union (EU) are commonly used for pulp and paper industry and isolation materials. The study aims to (i) analyze hemp feasibility to grow and contribute to C sequestration under the water scarce conditions in initially nutrient-poor arable sandy soil with high and low canopy densities, and (ii) assess the use of hemp residues like shives and leaves as soil amendments for oat and corn crops in order to increase soil water holding capacity and serve as a long-term nutrient supply. Hemp, oat and corn crops were grown in a greenhouse experiment under LED illumination and wind ventilation for 17 h per day until the harvest. Hemp fibers were obtained through decortication. The biomass of all crops, hemp roots separated into fine and main, soil prior and after the experiment, and soil amendments were investigated for the total C and N content with an ELEMENTAR Vario Max Cube. Also, the elemental analysis for Ca, Mg, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, Al, Na was performed using HNO3 and MP-AES analyses. Total dry root mass for oat and corn crops was measured. Additionally, the soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were determined. The results showed that water scarcity had hindered hemp height and biomass production. While under the water limited conditions, the low hemp canopy density had showed slightly advanced growth in comparison to the high canopy density. Furthermore, the results of oat and corn experiment indicated difference between the treatments, where the soil amendment from hemp leaves compared to hemp shives showed enhanced growth in both plant and root biomass Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-2564 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Sut-Lohmann, Magdalena A1 - Matvejeva, Agne A1 - Dietrich, Nils A1 - Heinrich, Martina A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Cultivation of fiber hemp using solid and liquid residues from municipal composting in a closed system T2 - EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022 N2 - Progressing degradation of agricultural soil demands a change to more sustainable cropping systems accounting for crops that can sustain the soil health. Hemp is known for the improvement of soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The objective of the research is to analyze the hemp plant capability to grow under nutrient poor soil conditions and dense canopy and to assess hemp’s ability to uptake plant nutrients applied with/by soil amendments produced from biowaste. Additionally, the research aims to analyze how the hemp nutrition affects its morphogenesis, thus the fiber content. In the greenhouse set up, Cannabis Sativa L. was grown in sandy substrate, with limited water supply that corresponded to the common drought periods in Brandenburg (Germany) and with addition of soil amendments in form of pellets from organic waste (OW) digestives. The treatments included: 5 control pots, 10 pots with pellets (19 kg soil / 230 g pellets according to the allowed application of 13 t/ha) and 10 pots with 19 kg soil / 3 kg pellets. When needed, a universal liquid fertilizer was applied which contained water soluble minerals like N, P2O5 and K2O. After 92 days, the plants were harvested, dried and weighted. The root structure was examined visually. The stems were decorticated using BMS-FLAKSY® (Rossmanith GmbH) to analyze the fiber content. The Elementar vario MAX cube analyzer device was used to analyse C and N contents. The results showed that hemp could still flourish in water and nutrient limited environment. A deeper and denser rooting was observed in the treatments with pellets. It was observed that fine roots were encircled and attached to the pellets to access the nutrients stored there. The highest C:N ratio in soil and in leaves was found in treatments that contained the most pellets. The option to apply pellets produced from OW in larger quantities instead of a fertilizer application had a striking effect on hemp growth and biomass accumulation hence, increased dry matter amount and fiber yield. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-1681 ER -