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Vermicomposting of
vegetable waste: A bio-physicochemical process based on
hydro-operating bioreactor
Chhotu D. Jadia and M. H.
Fulekar*
Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Life
Sciences, University of Mumbai, Santacruz (E), Mumbai -400
098, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
mhfulekar@yahoo.com.
Tel: +91-2226528822. Fax: +91-2226526053.
Accepted
22 September, 2008 |
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The increasing waste generation rate, high collection cost
and dwindling financial resources are the major problems
faced by most of the developing countries for efficient
solid waste management. In some cities, the organic waste
(market, municipal, household) are dumped indiscriminately
or littered on the streets causing environmental
deterioration. Biological processes such as composting
followed by vermicomposting to convert vegetables waste (as
valuable nutrient source) in agriculturally useful organic
fertilizer would be of great benefit. Therefore this
technique is studied in the present research work. A simple
and potentially inexpensive Hydro Based Operating Bioreactor
(HBOB) was developed for aeration and turning of plant
biomass for efficient aerobic composting process. The
composting process was done viz ambient, mesophilic,
thermophilic and cooling down stages for a period of two
weeks. After cooling stage, the partially decomposed
material was used further as bedding for earthworms for
vermicomposting. Experiments were conducted to determine the
changes in the physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature,
moisture content and C/N ratio). The dominant species of
microorganisms at different temperatures during entire
process of composting and vermicomposting were investigated.
Self heating of the ingredients due to microbial activity
occurred within the bioreactor at the thermophilic stage of
the composting process. The vermicompost developed in the
HBOB was found to have comparatively high value of nutrients
such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese
and copper which can serve as a natural fertilizer giving
high yield of plants. The vermicomposting has proved very
effective and efficient for developing compost from
vegetable waste.
Key words:
Waste management, composting; bioreactor, vegetable waste,
earthworms, physico-chemical characterization. |
