Microbial Contributions to Organic Waste Recycling and Detoxification during Composting and Post-Application

Composting is a microbiologically driven process that transforms organic waste into stable, nutrient-rich amendments for soil improvement. Microorganisms play pivotal roles in the decomposition of complex organic matter, nitrogen transformation, and the degradation of hazardous contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, and microplastics. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the functional microbial communities and metabolic pathways involved in waste stabilization and detoxification. Furthermore, the post-application of compost to soil continues to influence microbial processes, promoting the biodegradation of pollutants and enhancing soil health. Understanding the microbial mechanisms underlying these processes is critical for optimizing composting efficiency and ensuring environmental safety. This Research Topic aims to highlight recent advances in microbial ecology and function throughout the composting and compost utilization chain.

Despite the widespread use of composting for organic waste management, challenges remain in fully harnessing microbial potential for efficient recycling and effective detoxification of emerging contaminants. Key issues include incomplete degradation of recalcitrant pollutants, transient microbial community instability, and limited understanding of functional genes and metabolic networks during composting and after field application. This Research Topic aims to address these gaps by fostering interdisciplinary research that elucidates the roles of microorganisms in organic matter transformation and contaminant breakdown. We seek to integrate insights from metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, culturomics, and biogeochemical analyses to uncover microbial mechanisms that drive process efficiency and environmental safety. By consolidating cutting-edge studies, this collection will provide a scientific foundation for developing microbiome-informed strategies to enhance compost quality, accelerate detoxification, and promote sustainable soil management through post-compost microbial activity.

This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, and methodological articles focusing on microbial roles in composting and compost application. We encourage submissions addressing:
(1) Biodegradation and transformation mechanisms of antibiotics, pesticides, heavy metals, and microplastics, etc.
(2) Impact of compost applications on soil microbial ecology and pollutant remediation.
(3) Enhancement of composting efficiency via microbial inoculation or process optimization.
(4) Multi-omics approaches to characterize microbial functions and other studies related to organic waste recycling and detoxification during composting and post-application related microbial processes.
Studies combining field trials with molecular microbiology techniques are particularly welcome. The goal is to advance understanding of how microbial processes contribute to sustainable organic waste recycling and environmental detoxification from reactor to soil.

Please note that Microbiotechnology does not consider descriptive studies that are solely based on amplicon (e.g., 16S rRNA) profiles, unless they are accompanied by a clear hypothesis and experimentation and provide insight into the microbiological system or process being studied.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: composting microbiology, organic waste valorization, xenobiotic degradation, microbial community dynamics, compost application in soil

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.