Emission Control Benefits of QuikSoil®

Simply by reducing turning or other forms of aeration or agitation, the QuikSoil® BACS system results in less volatilization of carbon as CO2 and VOC's, and in less volatilization of nitrous and sulfurous compounds. However, 2600 and BACS work in more ways than this. Think of biological decomposition as a continuous search for energy and the resources to grow and reproduce. Just as humans do, microbes need carbon (carbohydrates) for energy, nitrogen (for protein production), and sulfur (for DNA bonds) to create new cells. All the emissions attributed to biological decomposition are composed of compounds essential for microbial life, growth, and reproduction. These compounds escape the decomposing mass only because (1) operator volatilizes them before they can be digested; or (2) the correct microbe capable of digesting the compound was not growing in the mass or not growing in sufficient quantity to encounter the compound before it escaped.

While the goal of digestion is glucose or another energy rich compound for final conversion to energy, bacteria are specialized in their digestive abilities. Turning a carbon compound into energy may require a few reactions or a host of reactions depending on how complex the compound is. Most bacteria are limited in their abilities to digest compounds (substrates). Some can handle a few substrates. Some can handle more, and some can digest an immense number of substrates - as many as 150 ! By encouraging the growth of these broad scale digesters, and by keeping compounds in the mass longer, more and more potential emissions are fully digested. This results in much less odor and in much more carbon and nutrient retention.

Independent tests have shown reductions in all major categories of gases and overall odors of 70% to 80%. Categories tested include reduced sulfur compounds, ammonia and amines, mercaptans and other VOC's, and ptomaines. Tests have also shown increased organic content in the final, stable compost, and an increase in organic Nitrogen with an accompanying decrease in ammonia and nitrate.