Consolidated bioprocessing of biodegradable municipal solid waste for transformation into biofertilizer formulations

The booming consciousness of the problems associated with biodegradable solid waste generation has driven the globe for the reutilization of organic waste wherever it is generated, lowering trash volumes and transportation costs. The present study deals with the zero waste approach that endorses the fostering of sustainable long-term socio-economic and environmental benefits by transforming biodegradable solid waste into biofertilizers. A novel consolidated bioprocessing approach is adopted which in particular relates to the hydrolysis of biodegradable municipal solid waste by hydrolytic enzymes produced by Aspergillus niger S-30 and the growth of biofertilizer non-pathogenic strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae AP-407 in nutrients present in the hydrolysate to prepare liquid biofertilizer and carrier-based solid biofertilizer formulations with 1.03 × 10¹² cfu/ml and 1.03 × 10¹² cfu/g, respectively. Furthermore, the formulations significantly enhanced the % oxidizable organic carbon, available phosphate (P₂O₅), available potassium (K₂O), ammonical nitrogen (NH₃-N), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N) in soil and chlorophyll content of plant leaves of Brassica juncea. It is further appreciated that the process is economically attractive as no exogenous enzyme loadings are required, no exogenous carrier substance is added, and the entire process is carried out in a single fermenter vessel.