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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2006, p. 4105-4114, Vol. 72, No. 6
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02694-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Microbial Diversity Associated with Odor Modification for Production of Fertilizers from Chicken Litter{dagger}

Julie J. Enticknap, Hirofumi Nonogaki, Allen R. Place,* and Russell T. Hill*

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Received 14 November 2005/ Accepted 20 March 2006

Litter from the chicken industry can present several environmental challenges, including offensive odors and runoff into waterways leading to eutrophication. An economically viable solution to the disposal of waste from chicken houses is treatment to produce a natural, granulated fertilizer that can be commercially marketed for garden and commercial use. Odor of the final product is important in consumer acceptance, and an earthy odor is desirable. By understanding and manipulating the microbial processes occurring during this process, it may be possible to modify the odors produced. Geosmin and related volatiles produced by soil actinomycetes are responsible for earthy odors, and actinomycetes are likely to be present in the composting manure. Bacterial communities at each stage of the process were analyzed by culturing studies and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The processing steps changed the culturable bacterial community, but the total community was shown by DGGE to be stable throughout the process. A local agricultural soil was analyzed in parallel as a potential source of geosmin-producing actinomycetes. This agricultural soil had higher microbial diversity than the compost at both the culturable and the molecular levels. Actinomycete bacteria were isolated and analyzed by AromaTrax, a gas chromatography-olfactometry system. This system enables the odor production of individual isolates to be monitored, allowing for rational selection of strains for augmentation experiments to improve the odor of the final fertilizer product.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center of Marine Biotechnology, Columbus Center Suite 236, 701 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. Phone for Allen R. Place: (410) 234-8828. Fax: (410) 234-8896. E-mail: place{at}umbi.und.edu. Phone for Russell T. Hill: (410) 234-8883. Fax: (410) 234-8896. E-mail: hillr{at}umbi.umd.edu.

{dagger} Contribution no. 05-134 from the Center of Marine Biotechnology.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2006, p. 4105-4114, Vol. 72, No. 6
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02694-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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