Vermicomposting of sugar industry waste (press mud) mixed with cow dung employing an epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida

Abstract

In India, millions of tons of press mud (PM) are generated by sugar mills every year. This paper reports the potential of vermitechnology to convert sugar industry waste PM mixed with cow dung (CD) into vermicompost, employing an epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida. A total of six different reactors were established having different ratios of PM and CD including one control (CD only). The growth and fecundity of E. fetida was monitored for 13 weeks. Maximum growth was recorded in 100% CD, but earthworms grew and reproduced favourably up to 1:1 PM and CD feed composition. However, greater percentages of PM in different reactors significantly affected the growth and fecundity of worms. Vermicomposting resulted in a decrease in carbon concentration and an increase in nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium concentrations of the vermicompost. Investigations indicated that vermicomposting could be an alternative technology for the management of PM into useful fertilizing material, if mixed at maximum 50% with CD.

Bioconversion of Vegetable and Flower Wastes into Compost by Eudrilus euginae Treated with Food Colouring Agent Tartrazine

“…Further, they have observed that earthworms grew and reproduced favourable up to 1:1 press mud and cow dung feed composition. The present finding is in good accords with those of Sangwan, et al [11] that have registered increase in N and P in vermicompost employing E. eugeniae and have suggested that vermicomposting could be an alternative technology for the management of pH into useful fertilizer material, if mixed at maximum 50% with cow dung. Micronutrients like Zn content elevated, whereas Fe and Mn declined effect in flower waste compost.…”

Industrial wastes and sludges management by vermicomposting

“…Benitez et al (1999) have reported that the leachate collected during vermicomposting process had higher potassium concentration. Sangwan et al (2010a) have also reported an increase in potassium in vermicomposts after bioconversion of sugar industry waste. These differences in the observations can be attributed to the differences in the chemical nature of the inorganic wastes used in vermicomposting system.…”

Instrumental characterization of organic wastes for evaluation of vermicompost maturity

“…The net loss of dry mass which concentrates the phosphorus in the final feedstocks of vermicomposting also increases the phosphorus content (Ravindran and Sekaran 2010). Many researchers have reported that vermicomposting of organic materials increases the potassium, sodium and calcium concentrations in the final feed mixtures (Sangwan et al 2010;Bhat et al 2015a;. The changes in the nutrient contents (pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, C:N ratio, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium) between the initial and final vermicompost suggests mineralization of organic wastes by earthworms (Table 2).…”