Valorisation de déchets organiques biodégradables par la production de larves d’insectes à Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo.

Abstract

This pilot study assessed the valorization of biodegradable organic waste composed of cow manure and sawdust through composting and spontaneous insect-larva production. Four open polypropylene-bag composters were prepared: cow manure alone, sawdust alone, a 3:1 manure-to-sawdust mixture, and a 1:1 mixture. The substrates were watered and turned three times per week. Physicochemical parameters were measured and larval occurrence was recorded. The 3:1 mixture yielded an average of approximately six larvae in the reported trials, whereas no larvae were reported for the other treatments. Values reported in Table III.2 ranged from 5.5 ± 1.0 to 8.7 ± 1.0 for pH, from 582.1 ± 10.6 to 1370.9 ± 90.0 mg/kg for COD, and from 191.4 ± 1.0 to 591.4 ± 56.9 mg/kg for TOC. Because taxonomic identification was not validated, experimental replication was insufficiently described, and no comparative statistical analysis was reported, the findings should be considered exploratory. The results suggest that a cow-manure–sawdust mixture may be a substrate for bioconversion, but this hypothesis requires confirmation using a replicated experimental design and formal larval identification.