Composting winery waste: sludges and grape stalks*1

Waste and Biomass Valorization

A model procedure for the sustainable management of plant biomass related to wine production, namely vine branches from agricultural practices in the vineyard and marcs remaining after grapes crushing, was devised. An artificial humification process was set up that could respond to the needs of environmental sustainability and could be a safe way to be reintroduce in the vineyard part of the organic matter previously exported, thus contributing to recover or maintain vineyard soil fertility. Two different strategies for composting were tested, namely a static pile, made by branches and marcs, and a pile that was fed twice a year alternatively with vine branches and grape marcs. The experimentation lasted 710 days, during which environmental parameters, i.e. temperature and rainfalls were monitored. Growth dynamics of the principal functional groups of microorganism were followed. A characterization of the composted material was obtained by measuring several parameters among which, pH, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and heavy metals content. The characteristics of the produced compost fulfill the requirements prescribed by the Italian legislation regarding the use of compost as soil amendment. Germination tests demonstrated the absence of phytotoxicity and conversely evidenced a stimulating activity towards root development.

Waste Management, 2017

Waste management in winery and distillery industries faces numerous disposal challenges as large volumes of both liquid and solid waste by-products are generated yearly during cellar practices. Composting has been suggested as a feasible option to beneficiate solid organic waste. This incentivized the quest for efficient composting protocols to be put in place. The objective of this study was to experiment with different composting strategies for spent winery solid waste. Compost materials consisting of chopped pruning grape stalks, skins, seed and spent wine filter material consisting of a mixture of organic and inorganic expend ingredients were mixed in compost heaps. The filter material component varied (in percentage) among five treatments: T1 (40%) lined, T2 (20%) lined, T3 (0%) lined, T4 (40%) ground material, lined and T5 (40%) unlined. Composting was allowed to proceed under open field conditions over 12 months, from autumn to summer. Indicators such as temperature, moisture, enzyme activities, microbial counts, pH, and C/N ratio, were recorded. Generally, season (df = 3, 16, P < 0.05) had significant effects (df = 1, 3, P < 0.05) on heap temperature and moisture in all treatments. Similarly, microorganisms (actinobacteria and heterotrophs) varied significantly in all treatments in response to seasonal change (df = 3, 16; P < 0.05). Enzyme activities fluctuated in accordance with seasonal factors and compost maturity stages, with phosphatases, esterases, amino-peptidases, proteases and glycosyl-hydrolases being most prominent. Compared to treatments T2 and T3, compost treatments with higher percentage waste filter materials (T1, T4 and T5) had higher N (16,100-21,300 mg/kg), P (1500-2300 mg/kg), K (19,800-28,200 mg/kg), neutral pH, and lower C/N ratios (13:1-10:1), which were also comparable with commercially produced composts. Filter materials therefore, appears to be a vital ingredient for composting of winery solid waste.

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2009

The main organic wastes produced in modern wine industries include grape pomace (62%), lees (14%), stalk (12%) and dewatered sludge (12%). Some of these wastes are being used as by-products (grape pomace and lees) whereas the rest of organic wastes (stalk and wastewater sludge) has been traditionally incinerated or disposed in landfill. In this work, composting is proposed for the recovery of stalk and wastewater sludge to produce a sanitized organic amendment for application in the vineyard, closing the organic matter cycle. The environmental and economical analyses of the different alternatives to manage organic wastes from the wine industry are also presented. Composting costs are almost negligible when compared to other management options. From the environmental point of view, in-situ composting presents the best performance in 8 of the 10 impact categories analysed. Finally, the energy balance shows that the four composting systems involved less energy than systems based on mineral fertilizer consumption.

Bioresource Technology, 2019

In this study, different amounts of a mixture of winery waste activated sludge and grape stalks were co-composted for 8 weeks, at lab-scale under different temperatures and aeration rates, and at pilot-scale. None of the experiments showed the occurrence of a thermophilic stage, even when the composting temperature was kept at 34°C, which might suggest biological suppression by the acclimated mesophilic microorganisms ubiquitous to the winery waste activated sludge. The composted substrates were fully characterized by physicochemical analysis, plant growth tests and germination indexes using parsley (Petroselinum crispum) seedlings and seeds. Surprisingly, despite the higher volume reduction at lab-scale, it was the initial mixture and the mixture composted outdoors which presented the best horticultural qualities, with seedling survival rates of 88.9% and 87.0% and modified germination indexes of 54% and 161%, respectively. These findings shed some light on previous contradictory results and allow the development of new recycling strategies.

2013

LALEVIC, B., B. SIVCEV, V. RAICEVIC, Z. RANKOVIC VASIC, N. PETROVIC and M. MILINKOVIC, 2013. Environmental impact of viticulture: biofertilizer influence on pruning and wine waste. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 19: 1027-1032 The global wine and table grape industry, with annual sales exceeding US$100 billion, generates large quantities of cane pruning waste each year. This pruning is usually composted or burned as waste, often with a net cost incurred to the winery. Microorganisms, soil organisms or enzymes can degrade the “end-use” grapevine waste. In the European Waste Catalogue grapevine, waste is indexed as plant waste and as a part of biowaste. Since grapevine waste is subject to the aerobic treatment process, it is compost. Grapevine waste is subject to an anaerobic treatment process or treated by other methods, including mixtures with other materials like grape mark before/after treatment. The aim of this paper is to investigate quality and quantity of the compost types made of pruni...

The Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker, 2005

Compost, of some type or another, is often applied to soil during vineyard development and after planting, during management of the vineyard. However, the reasons for applying compost may not always be clear to the user and the possible negative effects that might result are often not appreciated. There have been several very good reviews of compost use in recent years (eg. Biala, 2000 and Wilkinson, 2001). The purpose of this article is not to repeat the ideas conveyed in these publications but to focus attention on the particular benefit from using compost in establishing new vineyards and to compliment and reinforce the ideas of Robinson (2001).

Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 2005

In Mediterranean countries, millions of tons of wastes from viticulture and winery industries are produced every year. This study describes the ability of the earthworm Eisenia andrei to compost different winery wastes (spent grape marc, vinasse biosolids, lees cakes, and vine shoots) into valuable agricultural products. The evolution of earthworm biomass and enzyme activities was tracked for 16 weeks of vermicomposting, on a laboratory scale. Increases in earthworm biomass for all winery wastes proved lower than in manure. Changes in hydrolytic enzymes and overall microbial activities during the vermicomposting process indicated the biodegradation of the winery wastes. Vermicomposting improved the agronomic value of the winery wastes by reducing the C:N ratio, conductivity and phytotoxicity, while increasing the humic materials, nutrient contents, and pH in all cases. Thus, winery wastes show potential as raw substrates in vermicomposting, although further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility of such wastes in large-scale vermicomposting systems.

Acta horticulturae, 2012

Research was carried out in two vineyards planted with the variety 'Merlot' in order to evaluate the effect of soil compost addition on soil organic matter and grapevine production and quality. The vineyards were established in Valnogaredo and Zovon, on the Euganean Hills, Italy. Two treatments were compared: application of 5 t/ha of compost versus no compost application. Soil and microbial analyses were performed. SPAD values and leaf chlorophyll content were measured during the growing season. Quantitative and qualitative parameters of vine production were evaluated. The soil of the two vineyards was calcareous and gravelly, with clay texture and alkaline pH. Organic matter content increased after the compost treatment, whereas the other investigated parameters did not change significantly. The organic C content increased in Valnogaredo but not in Zovon. The humification index and microbial biomass increased in both vineyards. In 2007 and 2008 SPAD values in the leaves were higher for the compost treated vines compared with those untreated and strong correlations were found with leaf chlorophyll contents. At harvest, in Valnogaredo in 2007 and 2008, in Zovon in 2008 and 2009, an increase in the yield/vine of bunch and berry weight and volume and qualitative parameters were observed in plants treated with compost. In conclusion, compost application, depending on soil characteristics, can increase soil organic matter and microbial biomass but can also affect vine productivity.

Journal of Chemistry

In order to decrease the environmental harm produced by the agro industries’ wastes’, an investigation of the co-composting of olive mill waste (olive mill wastewater (OMW), olive mill sludge (OMS)) and wine by-products (grape marc and winery wastewater) was done. Three aerated windrows of variable compositions were performed; these windrows differ in terms of their initial composition and the liquid used for their humidification; OMW and wastewater winery were used for humidification to replace water for windrow moistening. Moreover, the main physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and C/N) were monitored to evaluate the co-composting process. The latter lasted around three months. The elaborated composts were characterized by low C/N ratio, and they were rich in fertilizing and nutriment elements and of low heavy metal contents. The humidification of the windrows with OMW showed effectiveness in improving the windrows temperature, reflected by the hig...

Thermochimica acta, 2007

The possibility of using thermal analysis for a quick characterization of chemical changes was tested in the organic matter from composting materials. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG) and the first derivative of the TG (DTG) were calculated in oxidizing conditions on compost samples obtained from three composting piles. The composting piles were made by mixing winery and distillery residues with sewage sludge (pile 1), with cow manure (pile 2) and hen droppings (pile 3). The temperature values in the pile 1 showed a different evolution during the thermophilic stage of the composting process in relation to the piles 2 and 3. The thermophilic stage for pile 1 was 17 days, meanwhile for the piles 2 and 3 were around 80 and 110 days, respectively, and probably pile 1 was not well composted. The curves of ion current of CO 2 have been recorded in order to shed light on changes occurring in organic matter during composting. Particularly DTG curves allowed us to distinguish between well (piles 2 and 3) and poor (pile 1) stabilized organic matter. The energy released was calculated for each sample by integrating the DTA curves and these results are agreed with the previous hypothesis. Information deriving from weight losses, registered by the TG and DTG curves, enables to follow the evolution state of the organic matter and therefore changes in its stability. These data could determine the final point of the composting process of winery and distillery residues and then reduce the time for compost harvest.