Earthworms Converting Milk Processing Industry Sludge into Biomanure

Abstract

Aims and Objectives:The present study was conducted to utilize the Milk Processing Industry Sludge (MPIS) for the purpose of vermicomposting, in two sets of experimentsviz. with earthworms (ME) and without earthworms (MW).Methods and Materials:Twenty young non-clitellatedEisenia fetidawere released in each tray. The various parameters like growth, clitellum development, biomass, cocoon production and hatchlings ofE. fetidawere observed after every 15 days, during 90 days of vermicomposting.Results:The maximum growth and better responses were observed in ME25mixtures of MPIS which was the minimum ratio of the waste to CD. The physico-chemical analysis (pH, EC, TKN, TOC, C/N ratio, TAP, TK, TNa) and heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb) were also done before and after vermicomposting process. There was a significant increase in TKN (23-46%), and TAP (39-47%), and a decrease in pH (6.2-6.8%), EC (24.6-37.2%), TOC (16.8-37.9%), C/N ratio (23.8-97.9%), TK (26.6-40.6%), and TNa (31.3-53%) and heavy metals (Cr 30.9-40.6%, Cu 32.7-44.6%, Mn 23.9-36.3%, and Pb 32.6-42.9%) from initial to final feed mixtures with earthworms.Conclusion:Thus the final vermicompost had excellent physico-chemical properties with all nutrients in plant available forms. The study further strengthens that the vermicomposting is an efficient technique in converting MPIS into nutrient rich biomanure in a short period of timei.e. 90 days.

Review of Soil Quality Improvement Using Biopolymers from Leather Waste

“…Vermicomposting supposes the use of several earthworm species such as: Eisenia fetida, Eisenia andrea, Eudrilus eugeniae, for the conversion of different waste types (including leather waste), into a product useful for soil amendment [90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97]. Ravindran et al (2019) studied the amendment of soil with vermicompost hydrolyzed tannery animal fleshing on the growth and yield of commercial crop tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum) [88].…”