Dr. Fatemeh Momeniha

Principal Investigator

Waste management is one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century and plays a key role in sustainable development. Conventional composting methods require large areas of land and extended decomposition times, while also generating marginal revenues. Biogas production from waste is a sustainable source of bioenergy, but it also has its drawbacks. Anaerobic processes produce greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide, which are associated with global warming. Vermicomposting (the use of earthworms) for the decomposition of organic materials also has numerous limitations, as most wastes require pre-composting (for up to two weeks) before undergoing vermicomposting.

One method for processing organic waste that has gained increasing recognition in recent years due to its technical simplicity and efficiency is the use of the black soldier fly. The larvae of this fly enable the bioconversion of various types of waste, including animal manure, food scraps, and other organic residues, into insect larval biomass and organic compost at a faster rate than the earthworms used in vermicomposting. The larvae can grow on a wide range of decomposing organic materials due to their large, powerful chewing mouthparts, rich gut microbiota, robust immune system, and high enzymatic activity, which allows them to metabolize molecules such as starch, proteins, and lipids. Each larva can consume up to 200 milligrams of food waste per day. Manure treated with black soldier fly larvae has been shown to emit 47 times less greenhouse gases than traditional composting.

Considering the importance of the black soldier fly in processing organic waste and the lack of systematic review studies on this topic, this research aims to explore global experiences in organic waste processing using the black soldier fly and to identify the technologies in this field.

The necessity of implementing

2023

Year