Material Circulation Design Based on Organic Matter Analysis of Edible and Inedible Parts of Plants for CEEF

In order to verify the material circulation design for a Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities, CEEF, the organic element analysis of edible and inedible parts of the major candidate plants (rice, soybean, sesame and komatsuna (Brassica campestris)) has been carried out experimentally and by using food analysis data. In the experiment, rice, soybean and sesame were cultivated by hydroponics and soil culture for this purpose. The organic element analysis data from the food analysis data were made using empirical chemical equations formulated as to major nutriments by Volk and Rummel.

The experimental results showed good agreement with those obtained from the food analysis data. Komatsuna has high nitrogen content. Inedible parts of rice, soybean and sesame have almost the same constituent ratio. The edible part of soybean contains five times as much nitrogen as its inedible part. Rice shows no significant difference between the edible and inedible parts. The edible part of soybean was a higher carbon content and lower oxygen content than the inedible part. The ash content in plants depends on the cultivation method. It was found that the deviation of organic element quantities between the experimental analysis and the design is within the design margin of 20%, which was set in determining the specification for the material circulation for CEEF.