A considerable amount of the food is wasted each year, creating an urgent global problem with negative economic and environmental effects. Livestock manure, a by-product of intensive animal farming, can contribute to environmental issues if not properly managed. While biochar, a product of pyrolysis, can speed up the composting process and improve compost quality, sawdust is frequently used in composting to balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. This study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar on compost quality in co-composting food waste and swine manure and the influence of raw materials in obtaining good quality ecofriendly compost. Experimental manipulations were conducted both with feedstock materials present and absent. The findings revealed that a biochar concentration of 6% had a positive impact on the composting process. Furthermore, the presence or absence of feedstocks influenced the composting rate and the quality of the compost. Through the addition of biochar, moisture balance and porosity were improved, promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Organic waste can be managed more sustainably and agricultural systems may be improved by keeping it out of landfills and composting it with biochar. According to this study, a proper balance of feedstock composition is equally important to the addition of biochar. The study contributes to the understanding of the composting process and the role of balancing feedstock components for the production of good quality compost.

Synergistic effects of biochar and the importance of feedstock composition during co-composting food waste and livestock manure
    Abstract
        Graphical abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Materials and methods
        2.1 Raw materials
        2.2 Experimental design
        2.3 Physicochemical analysis
        2.4 Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis
        2.5 Thermal analysis
        2.6 Phytotoxicity analysis
        2.7 Statistical analysis
    3 Results and discussion
        3.1 Temperature dynamics
        3.2 pH dynamics
        3.3 Electrical conductivity (EC) dynamics
        3.4 Bulk density and total porosity dynamics
        3.5 Porosity
        3.6 Dynamics of CO2 and NH3 emissions
        3.7 CN ratio
        3.8 FTIR findings
        3.9 Thermogravimetric analysis
        3.10 Differential scanning calorimetry
        3.11 Phytotoxicity analysis
    4 Conclusions
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Soon Woong Chang(Department of Civil and Energy System Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Gyeonggi‑Do, South Korea)
• Sung Su Kim(Department of Civil and Energy System Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Gyeonggi‑Do, South Korea)
• Balasubramani Ravindran(Department of Civil and Energy System Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Gyeonggi‑Do, South Korea, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Arts Science Commerce and Management, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India)
• S. Maragathavalli(PG Department of Biochemistry, King Nandhivarman College of Arts and Science, Thellar, Tamil Nadu 604 406, India)
• Natchimuthu Karmegam(PG and Research Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem, Tamil Nadu 636 007, India)
• Mohammed Junaid Hussain Dowlath(Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India)
• Jothiramalingam Rajabathar(Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India)
• Hamad Al‑Lohedan(Surfactants Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O.Box.2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
• P. Maharaja(Environmental Engineering Department, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai 600 020, Tamil Nadu, India)
• C. Thamaraiselvi(Department of Biotechnology, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India)
• C. Thamaraiselvi(Department of Biotechnology, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India)