Thermophylic composting of humanure - 2

[Guest guest]

Time won't kill roundworms

Thu, 9 Apr 1998 19:54:34 -0400 (EDT)

 

"Noma T. Petroff" wrote:

 

> Hare Krsna dasi

> Time won't kill roundworms

> *************************************

>

> Earlier, there were several posts which may have led devotees to believe

> that all pathogens in manure can be destroyed if you simply let it sit

> long enough. I heard that a government extension agent gave similar

> information to a devotee in North Carolina. According to more

> authoritative sources, roundworm eggs and salmonella can survive for a

> long period of time if they are not heated up.

>

> Here are statistics from *The Humanure Handbook* by J.C. Jenkins [page. 127]

>

> *Pathogen* *Method of Destruction* *Survival Rate*

>

> Enteric Viruses applied directly to soil May survive 5 months

> unheated anaerobic digestion Over 3 months

> composting toilets Probably eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed rapidly at 60 degrees

C

>

> Salmonellae applied directly to soil 3 months to 1 year

> unheated anaerobic digestion Several weeks

> composting toilets A few may survive

> thermophilic composting Killed in 20 hrs at 60

> degrees C

>

> Shigellae applied directly to soil Up to 3 months

> unheated anaerobic digestion A few days

> composting toilets Probably eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed in 1 hr. at 55

> degrees C

> or in 10 days

> at 40 degrees C

>

> E. coli applied directly to soil Several months

> unheated anaerobic digestion Several weeks

> composting toilets Probably eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed rapidly above 60

> degrees C

>

> Cholera vibrio applied directly to soil 1 week or less

> unheated anaerobic digestion 1 or 2 weeks

> composting toilets Probably eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed rapidly above 55

> degrees C

>

> Leptospires applied directly to soil Up to 15 days

> unheated anaerobic digestion 2 days or less

> composting toilets Eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed in 10 min. At 55

> degrees C

>

> Entamoeba applied directly to soil 1 week or less

> histolytica unheated anaerobic digestion 3 weeks or less

> cysts composting toilets Eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed in 10 min. at 55

> degrees C

>

> Hookworm eggs applied directly to soil 20 weeks

> unheated anaerobic digestion Will survive

> composting toilets May survive

> thermophilic composting Killed in 5 min. at 50

> degrees C

> or 1 hr at 45 degrees C

>

> Roundworm applied directly to soil Several years

> (Ascaris) unheated anaerobic digestion Many months

> eggs composting toilets Survive well

> thermophilic composting Killed in 2 hrs at 55

> degrees C

> or 20 hrs at 50 degrees C

> or 200 hrs at 45 degrees C

>

> Schistosome eggsapplied directly to soil One month

> unheated anaerobic digestion One month

> composting toilets Eliminated

> thermophilic composting Killed in 1 hr at 50 degrees C

>

> Taenia eggs applied directly to soil Over 1 year

> unheated anaerobic digestion A few months

> composting toilets May survive

> thermophilic composting Killed in 10 min at 59

> degrees C

> or over 4 hrs

> at 45 degrees C

>

> {Jenkins cites as his source: Feachem, et al. (1980) *Appropriate

> Technology for Water Supply and Sanitation*, The World Bank, Director of

> Information and Public Affairs, 1818 H St., Washington D.C. 20433. His

> chapter "Worms and Disease" also cites a number of other recent

> scientific studies on pathogen survival listing other bacteria, etc.}

>

> The point here is that time, alone, is not sufficient to render humanure

> safe for the vegetable garden. A composting process with adequate

> vegetable matter to insure the proper carbon/nitrogen ratio for

> thermophilic bacteria to heat up and act to kill the pathogens is required.

>

> your servant,

>

> Hare Krsna dasi