Precursor transformation and microbial responses during compost humification regulated by wood vinegar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures
- 1College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar, China
- 2Modern Agricultural Engineering Key Laboratory at Universities of Education Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Alar, China
Abstract
The humification stage is a critical that determines compost quality, and the addition of functional exogenous materials is an important measure to promote this stage. Cotton-stalk-derived wood vinegar, a bioactive liquid by-product of cotton stalk pyrolysis, may regulate compost humification by modulating organic matter transformation and microbial metabolism. However, the yield of these components is significantly influenced by the pyrolysis temperature. In this study, cotton stalk wood vinegar prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures was applied as an exogenous additive in co-composting with pig manure (T300, T400, T500, and T600). The regulatory effects of the compositional differences in wood vinegar on the transformation of humification precursors and microbial community succession were investigated, thereby elucidating the chemical–biological pathways of humus formation. The results showed that, compared with the control (CK), all wood vinegar treatments significantly enhanced the humification level (p < 0.05), with the T400 treatment achieving the highest humic acid content of 23.360 g/kg on day 15 of composting. Inter-component correlation analysis and FTIR two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) revealed that the T400 treatment promoted the synergistic transformation of aromatic and nitrogenous precursors and accelerated condensation and polymerization reactions. Meanwhile, the T400 treatment exhibited the highest ratio of humic-like to protein-like fluorescence components, reaching 2.88:1. Regarding microbial community succession, the T400 treatment enriched microorganisms belonging to the phyla Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Bacillota, and enhanced carbon metabolism as well as glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism activities. In conclusion, cotton stalk wood vinegar prepared at 400 °C effectively improved the degree of humification in the compost by promoting precursor transformation and optimizing the microbial environment. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the application of biomass-derived additives in composting.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026precursor,
title = {{Precursor transformation and microbial responses during compost humification regulated by wood vinegar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures}},
author = {Jia Liu and Muxi Zhao and Weiguo Xu and Siyu Li and Ziyang Xue and Gan Yang and Dongping Gao and Hui Yu and Xiaoyun Lian and Lingling Chen and Ling Zhou},
journal = {Frontiers in Chemistry},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fchem.2026.1912238},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2026.1912238},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Precursor transformation and microbial responses during compost humification regulated by wood vinegar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures
AU - Jia Liu
AU - Muxi Zhao
AU - Weiguo Xu
AU - Siyu Li
AU - Ziyang Xue
AU - Gan Yang
AU - Dongping Gao
AU - Hui Yu
AU - Xiaoyun Lian
AU - Lingling Chen
AU - Ling Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Frontiers in Chemistry
DO - 10.3389/fchem.2026.1912238
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2026.1912238
AB - The humification stage is a critical that determines compost quality, and the addition of functional exogenous materials is an important measure to promote this stage. Cotton-stalk-derived wood vinegar, a bioactive liquid by-product of cotton stalk pyrolysis, may regulate compost humification by modulating organic matter transformation and microbial metabolism. However, the yield of these components is significantly influenced by the pyrolysis temperature. In this study, cotton stalk wood vinegar prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures was applied as an exogenous additive in co-composting with pig manure (T300, T400, T500, and T600). The regulatory effects of the compositional differences in wood vinegar on the transformation of humification precursors and microbial community succession were investigated, thereby elucidating the chemical–biological pathways of humus formation. The results showed that, compared with the control (CK), all wood vinegar treatments significantly enhanced the humification level (p < 0.05), with the T400 treatment achieving the highest humic acid content of 23.360 g/kg on day 15 of composting. Inter-component correlation analysis and FTIR two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) revealed that the T400 treatment promoted the synergistic transformation of aromatic and nitrogenous precursors and accelerated condensation and polymerization reactions. Meanwhile, the T400 treatment exhibited the highest ratio of humic-like to protein-like fluorescence components, reaching 2.88:1. Regarding microbial community succession, the T400 treatment enriched microorganisms belonging to the phyla Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Bacillota, and enhanced carbon metabolism as well as glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism activities. In conclusion, cotton stalk wood vinegar prepared at 400 °C effectively improved the degree of humification in the compost by promoting precursor transformation and optimizing the microbial environment. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the application of biomass-derived additives in composting.
SN - 2296-2646
ER -