Change in the volatile fatty acids content of laboratory stored sterilized and non-sterilized swine wastes.

The influence of urine and microbial activity was studied as possible factors leading to the generation of volatile fatty acids in non-sterilized stored swine wastes. Urine was found to promote the generation of the volatile acids. The microbial origin of the volatile acids in the wastes was ascertained by the growth of an anaerobic bacterial strain (Peptostreptococcus anaerobius). Significant generation and transformation of these acids was observed in sterilized swine waste samples stored under conditions similar to the non-sterilized samples.