Vermiremediation of Urban and Agricultural Biomass Residues for Nutrient Recovery and Vermifertilizer Production

• Published in: Waste and biomass valorization 2020-12, Vol.11 (12), p.6483-6497
• Main Authors: Biruntha, Muniyandi, Mariappan, Pitchaimuthu, Karunai Selvi, Balan, John Paul, James Arockia, Karmegam, Natchimuthu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Engineering; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Original Paper; Renewable and Green Energy; Waste Management/Waste Technology
• ISSN: 1877-2641; 1877-265X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12649-019-00899-0

Purpose Recovering the nutrients from organic solid residues is an ever demanding approach in terms of eco-friendly management. In this study, the efficiency of the earthworms, Perionyx ceylanensis and Perionyx excavatus in recycling and recovering plant nutrients from urban and agricultural biomass residues was investigated. Methods Vermicomposting of four different types of organic biomass resources in combination with cowdung (1:1) for 50 days was conducted using the earthworms, P. ceylanensis, and P. excavatus . Physico-chemical, microbiological and maturity characteristics of the final product were analyzed. Results Results showed a decrease in pH, organic matter content (OMC), total organic carbon (TOC), cellulose, lignin, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) and carbon to phosphorus (C/P) ratios, and an increase in total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), phosphorus (TP), potassium (TP), calcium and sodium in vermicomposts over composts (prepared without earthworms). TKN increase in vermicomposts over composts was insignificant between P. ceylanensis and P. excavatus, while it was significant for TP, TK, and total microbial population (P