Potential use of composts and vermicomposts as low-cost adsorbents for dye removal: an overlooked application

Abstract

The use of composts and vermicomposts as adsorbents is an important topic of study in the field of environmental remediation. These materials are rich in organic matter and have functional groups that can interact with organic and inorganic compounds. They also contain microorganisms that can promote biodegradation of organic substances. Composts that cannot be used for agronomic purposes (owing to e.g. low nutrient levels or phytotoxicity) may be valuable for soil remediation or pollutant removal. In this review paper, we discuss other papers on this topic, with the objective of drawing attention to the potential use of composts and vermicomposts and to recommend further investigation on this subject. Few published studies have investigated the use of vermicomposts to remove dyes and other coloured compounds. However, preliminary results show that these materials are potentially good adsorbents, particularly for basic dyes. However, there remain several uncertainties regarding this application. For example, very few dyes have been studied so far, and little is known about the influence of the properties of composts/vermicomposts on the dye removal process. Moreover, the possible use of vermicompost to enhance biodegradation processes has not been explored. All of these questions should be addressed in future research.

Vermicompost Formulation Based on Soybean Husk and Cow Manure on Shallots

“…The earthworms had enzymes such as protease, lipase, amylase, cellulose and chitin which would provide rapid chemical changes to the cellulose material and protein from waste [12][13][14]. Vermicompost had a high enough nutrient content such as nitrate, phosphate, and calcium which could be exchanged and potassium which could be exchanged soluble in forms available for plants [15][16][17][18][19], growth substances such as humic acid, fulvic acid, other organic acids, auxins and cytokines [20,21]. Some active bacteria like Azotobacter sp., Arobactericum sp.…”

Vermicompost for Indigo Blue and Congo Red Removal

“…Cygeroglu and Yildirir [11] evaluated the vermicompost to removal of methylene blue from aqueous medium obtaining excellent results. This same material was used in the bleaching of water containing other polluting dyes [12]. The vermicompost can be also used for the retention of other pollutants such as pesticides [13], metals ions [14], and pharmaceuticals [15].…”

Heavy Metal Uptake of Lettuce and Ryegrass from Urban Waste Composts

“…In a moment where the amounts of municipal solid waste are increasing in association to the rise of urban population, composting allows one to manage the large amounts of organic waste produced in urban areas in a simple and efficient way. There are several options for the reutilization of the compost produced from urban wastes, including the amendment of agricultural soils [1,2], production of soilless substrates [3,4], remediation of degraded lands and contaminated soils [5,6] and treatment of polluted wastewaters [7,8]. In addition, the increasing interest in urban agriculture and food production in the urban environment offers new opportunities for the use of urban waste composts [9,10], whether it is performed on soils [11,12] or in soilless media [13][14][15].…”