THE REDUCTION OF NICOTINE CONTENT IN THE COMPOSTING PROCESS OF TOBACCO WASTE MIXING WITH SHEEP AND CHICKEN DROPPINGS

Abstract

Due to the rise of industrialization and urbanization, the amount of waste is gradually increasing as well, both in developed and developing countries. Tobacco waste generates in all processes it starts in the field and ends up with the production of cigarettes. The total global tobacco waste production in the year 2005 was more than 25.1 million tons. In our experiments we used Virginia tobacco waste (TW) after processing, as well as sheep and chicken droppings. Two experimental samples were formed according to the following scheme: I 50% TW + 50% sheep droppings, II 50% TW + 50% chicken droppings. The comparison is made with the reference sample (100% TW). The experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, under natural conditions, in the open, during the three months period. The nicotine content in the samples was determined by a HPLC method. At the beginning of the experiment, the nicotine content in the tobacco waste was 17 363 mg/kg. By adding sheep and chicken droppings, nicotine content decreased by 66,5%. At the end of the research, nicotine content was dropped below 10 mg/kg in both experimental samples. The results confirmed that the organic material, sheep and chicken manure, can be successfully used for composting tobacco waste, primarily in order to reduce the nicotine content. Composting can be done in the open air and on the site where the waste is made, thereby it reduces energy costs, and what's the most important - the costs of transport.