Feasibility of a novel vermitechnology using vermicast as substrate for activated sludge disposal by two epigeic earthworm species

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of vermicomposting by using vermicast as the substrate for the stabilization of municipal activated sludge, called hereafter as direct vermistabilization, in which the pre-treatment and bulking materials required in previous practices were all omitted. For this purpose, two epigeic earthworm species, namely Eisenia foetida and Bimastus parvus, were inoculated into substrate for composting fresh dewatered activated sludge. Direct vermistabilization resulted in significant reductions in pH, TOC, C/N ratio and the content of heavy metals, as well as increases in EC, total N, total P and total K in the final vermicast. Moreover, both Eisenia foetida and Bimastus parvus showed faster growth rate and higher cocoon production. The results of this study suggest that the direct vermistabilization has the advantages of being simple, cost-effective and efficient, and can thus be used as a feasible vermicomposting approach to convert fresh dewatered activated sludge into a valuable product for agricultural use. The results also suggest that Bimastus parvus can be used as a new potential candidate for vermicomposting of municipal activated sludge.

Share and Cite:

Huang, K. , Li, F. , Fu, X. and Chen, X. (2013) Feasibility of a novel vermitechnology using vermicast as substrate for activated sludge disposal by two epigeic earthworm species. Agricultural Sciences, 4, 529-535. doi: 10.4236/as.2013.410071.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Dominguez, J. (2004) State-of-the art and new perspectives on vermicomposting research. In: Edwards, C.A. Ed., Earthworm Ecology, 2nd Edition, CRC Press, 401-424. http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781420039719.ch20
[2] Ndegwa, P.M. and Thompson, S.A. (2001) Integrating composting and vermicomposting the treatment and bioconversion of biosolids. Bioresource Technology, 76, 107-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(00)00104-8
[3] Hartenstein, R. (1981) Production of earthworms as a potentially economic source of protein. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 23, 1797-1811. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bit.260230808
[4] Neuhauser, E.F., Loehr, R.C. and Malecki, M.R. (1988) The potential of earthworms for managing sewage sludge. In: Edwards, C.A. and Neuhauser, E.F., Eds., Earthworms in Waste and Environmental Management. SPB Academic Publishing, The Hague, 9-20.
[5] Gupta, R. and Garg, V.K. (2008) Stabilization of primary sewage sludge during vermicomposting. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 162, 430-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.09.055
[6] Khwairakpam, M. and Bhargava, R. (2009) Vermitechnology for sewage sludge recycling. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 161, 948-954. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.04.088
[7] Suthar, S. (2010). Pilot scale vermireactors for sewage sludge stabilization and metal remediation process: Comparison with small-scale vermireactors. Ecological Engineering, 36, 703-712. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2009.12.016
[8] Hait, S. and Tare, V. (2011) Vermistablization of primary sewage sludge. Bioresource Technology, 101, 2812-2820. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.10.031
[9] Nelson, D.W. and Sommers, L.E. (1982) Total carbon and organic carbon and organic matter. In: Page, A.L., Miller, R.H. and Keeney, D.R., Eds., Method of Soil Analysis, American Society of agronomy, Madison, 539-579.
[10] Kaviraj and Sharma, S. (2003) Municipal solid waste management through vermicomposting employing exotic and local species of earthworms. Bioresource Technology, 90, 169-173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(03)00123-8
[11] Suthar, S. and Singh, S. (2008) Feasibility of vermicomposting in biostabilization of sludge from a distillery industry. Science of the Total Environment, 394, 237-243. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.02.005
[12] Suthar, S. (2010). Recycling of agro-industrial sludge through vermitechnology. Ecological Engineering, 36, 1028-1036. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.04.015
[13] Garg, P., Gupta, A. and Satya, S. (2006) Vermicomposting of different types of waste using Eisenia foetida: A comparative study. Bioresource Technology, 97, 391-395. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2005.03.009
[14] Suthar, S. (2009) Vermistabilization of municipal sewage sludge amended with sugarcane trash using epigeic Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 163, 199-206. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.06.106
[15] Lee, K.E. (1992) Some trends opportunities in earthworm research or: Darwin’s children. The future of our discipline. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 24, 1765-1771. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(92)90185-Z
[16] Le Bayon, R.C. and Binet, F. (2006) Earthworm changes the distribution and availability of phosphorous in organic substrates. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 38, 235-246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.05.013
[17] Sangwan, P., Kaushik, C.P. and Garg, V.K. (2008) Vermiconversion of industrial sludge for recycling the nutrients. Bioresource Technology, 99, 8699-8704. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.04.022
[18] Haimi, J. (2000) Decomposer animals and bioremediation of soils. Environmental Pollution, 107, 233-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(99)00142-6
[19] Curry, J.P. and Schmidt, O. (2007) The feeding ecology of earthworms—A review. Pedobiologia, 50, 463-477. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2006.09.001
[20] Vijver, M.G., Wolterbeek, H.T., Vink, J.P.M. and Van Gestel, G.A.M. (2005) Surface adsorption of metals onto the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus and the isopod Porcellio scaber is negligible compared to absorption in the body. Science of the Total Environment, 340, 271-280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.12.018

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.