#TITLE_ALTERNATIVE#

• Main Author: ANNASTASYA (NIM: 15308053), MARSHA
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/28770
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

<p align ="justify">Indonesia contributes 44% of world production. Oil palm industry generates a wide variety of wastes in large quantities. Most of by-products from oil palm mill process are empty fruit bunches (EFB). EFB are usually dumped in the area of industry. Composting can be one of solution to this problem. Application of compost can contribute the carbon sequestration in soil. Carbon in soil is divided into labile carbon and recalcitrant carbon. The objective of this research are to conduct the preliminary study in composting of EFB during 90-120 days, to determine degradation of organic carbon during composting period, and to estimate recalcitrant carbon of compost in final period of composting. There were six variations of compost. Materials of composting were molded by mold which had dimension 50 cm in height, length, and width. Composting process was under aerobic condition. During composting period, chemical and physical parameters were measured. Those parameters were temperature, moisture content, pH, organic carbon content, and total nitrogen content. The highest temperature of compost was 70 0C in the second day of composting. Turning compost piles could increase the temperature of compost which means microbial activities increase. pH of compost piles were alkaline (9-9.5). The highest degradation of organic carbon during 120 days, occurred in variation with C/N ratio higher than 50. According to SNI 10-7030-2004 and quality standard of compost from WHO, only temperature, color, and odor which have fulfilled the standard. Germination Index (GI) value of six compost variations were 18,1%, 14%, 6,2%, 8,1%, 6,3%, and 6,1% after 90 days of composting. Then, GI values in 120 days of composting increased and became 50,1%, 23%, 45,7%, 26,9%, 42,3%, and 17,1%. As predicted that Composting of EFB need more than 90 days in order to generate stabile compost. Recalcitrant carbon prediction of variation 1, 3, and 5 are 17.2%, 17.8%, and 18.1%. Variation 5 was predicted as variation with the highest amount of recalcitrant carbon.<p align ="justify">