Full Length Research Paper

Core sampling test in large-scale compost cells for microorganism isolation

Ana Luisa V. Bitencourt, Marcelo A. Vallim, Daniela Maia, Rafael Spinelli, Renata Angeloni, Luciana Principal, Elisangela Souza and Renata C. Pascon*

Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal da São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: renata.pascon@gmail.com.

Accepted 5 July, 2010

Abstract

Composting is a process by which organic wastes are transformed into fertilizer, preventing excess organic matter accumulation. Microbes that carry out this transformation have application in biotechnology. Composting cell assembling is a complex process, it can reach several m³ of diverse materials. It is desirable a sampling methodology that allows the microbial analysis, however, this matter has not yet been approached by other researchers. In this work we tested soil auger to probe large-scale compost piles at the São Paulo Zoo, in São Paulo, Brazil. The criterion for auger selection was percentage loss of material and microbe isolation from samples.

Key words: Core sampling, compost, microorganism isolation, auger.