Composting of 4-nonylphenol-contaminated river sediment with inocula of Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Abstract A composting study was performed to investigate the degradation of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in river sediment by inoculating Phanerochaete chrysosporium ( Pc ). Pc was inoculated into composting Reactor A, C and D, while Reactor B without inocula was used as control. The results showed that composting with Pc accelerated the degradation of 4-NP, increased the catalase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activities in contaminated sediment. The dissipation half-life (t 1/2 ) of 4-NP in Reactor A, C and D with inocula of Pc were 2.079, 2.558, 2.424 days, while in Reactor B without inocula of Pc it was 3.239 days, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that the contents of 4-NP in sediment in Reactor A and D were negatively correlated with the actives of laccase, whereas no obvious correlation was observed in Reactor B and C. All these findings also indicated that Pc enhanced the maturity of compost, and the best composting C/N ratio was 25.46:1.