Ecotoxicity tests for compost applications.

Interest in the ecological effects of composting has been growing recently. However, no established methods are available for testing the toxicity of composted materials. Despite this, international and national quality requirements define that compost shall not contain any environmentally harmful substances. Safety requirements have to be fulfilled if the produced compost is intended for agricultural use. This literature review focuses on methods that could potentially be used to evaluate the ecotoxicity of compost. The toxicity test methods discussed are those employing microbes, enzymes, soil fauna, and plants. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.