10.1007/s40095-014-0135-z

Effect of storage on the properties of vermicompost generated from paper waste: with focus on pre-drying and extent of sealing

HTML PDF
  • M. Karthikeyan1,
  • S. Gajalakshmi1,
  • S. A. Abbasi*1,
  1. Centre for Pollution Control and Environmental Engineering, Pondicherry University, Chinnakalapet, Puducherry, 605014, IN
Cover Image

Published in Issue 2014-08-07

How to Cite

Karthikeyan, M., Gajalakshmi, S., & Abbasi, S. A. (2014). Effect of storage on the properties of vermicompost generated from paper waste: with focus on pre-drying and extent of sealing. International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 5(4 (December 2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-014-0135-z
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

HTML views: 42

PDF views: 107

Abstract

Abstract The beneficial effects of vermicast on soil fertility in general, and agriculture in particular, are widely recognized, but there are no reports on the effect of storage on vermicast quality. The present study is an attempt to cover this knowledge gap as it may assist in the formulation of guidelines for packaging and storing of vermicast in a manner that preserves the cast’s fertilizer value. Vermicast generated from paper waste was packed in airtight and partially sealed bags with and without pre-drying for 24 h. Changes in several physical, chemical, and biological properties of the castings were monitored for 3 months with weekly assessments. The results reveal that the beneficial properties of vermicast were the highest when it was fresh. There was deterioration on storage, which can be minimized if the castings are contained in airtight bags after pre-drying the casts.

Keywords

  • Vermicast properties,
  • Vermicast storage,
  • Vermicast packing,
  • Eudrilus eugeniae,
  • Paper waste
HTML PDF

References

  1. Hindell et al. (1997) Influence of drying and ageing on the stabilization of earthworm (Lumbricidae) casts (pp. 27-35) https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050275
  2. Decaëns et al. (1999) Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in ageing earthworm casts in grasslands of the eastern plains of Colombia (pp. 20-28) https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050582
  3. Parthasarathi and Ranganathan (1999) Longevity of microbial and enzyme activity and their influence on NPK content in pressmud vermicasts (pp. 107-113) https://doi.org/10.1016/S1164-5563(00)00114-X
  4. Parthasarathi and Ranganathan (2000) Aging effect on enzyme activities in pressmud vermicasts of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) (pp. 347-350) https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050014
  5. Decaëns (2000) Degradation dynamics of surface earthworm casts in grasslands of the eastern plains of Colombia (pp. 149-156) https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740000229
  6. Tiunov and Scheu (2000) Microbial biomass, biovolume and respiration in Lumbricus terrestris L. cast material of different age (pp. 265-275) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00165-0
  7. Scullion et al. (2003) Food quality and microbial succession in ageing earthworm casts: standard microbial indices and metabolic fingerprinting (pp. 888-894)
  8. Aira et al. (2005) Ageing effects on nitrogen dynamics and enzyme activities in casts of Aporrectodea caliginosa (Lumbricidae) (pp. 467-473) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2005.07.003
  9. Aira et al. (2010) Ageing effects of casts of Aporrectodea caliginosa on soil microbial community structure and activity (pp. 143-146) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2010.06.001
  10. Mariani et al. (2007) What happens to earthworm casts in the soil? A field study of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Neotropical savannahs (pp. 757-767) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.09.023
  11. Kawaguchi et al. (2011) Mineral nitrogen dynamics in the casts of epigeic earthworms (Metaphire hilgendorfi: Megascolecidae) (pp. 387-395) https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2011.579879
  12. Decaens et al. (1999) Soil surface macrofaunal communities associated with earthworm casts in grasslands of the Eastern Plains of Colombia (pp. 87-100) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(99)00024-4
  13. Jiménez and Decaëns (2004) The impact of soil organisms on soil functioning under neotropical pastures: a case study of a tropical anecic earthworm species (pp. 329-342) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2003.12.016
  14. Kharin and Kurakov (2009) Transformation of nitrogen compounds and dynamics of microbial biomass in fresh casts of Aporrectodea caliginosa (pp. 75-81) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229309010104
  15. Shipitalo and Protz (1989) Chemistry and micromorphology of aggregation in earthworm casts (pp. 357-374) https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7061(89)90016-5
  16. Marinissen and Dexter (1990) Mechanisms of stabilization of earthworm casts and artificial casts (pp. 163-167) https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335801
  17. Marinissen et al. (1996) Clay dispersability in moist earthworm casts of different soils (pp. 83-92) https://doi.org/10.1016/0929-1393(96)00095-9
  18. Hindell et al. (1997) Destabilization of soil during the production of earthworm (Lumbricidae) and artificial casts (pp. 153-163) https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050224
  19. McInerney and Bolger (2000) Temperature, wetting cycles and soil texture effects on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in stabilized earthworm casts (pp. 335-349) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00158-3
  20. McInerney et al. (2001) Effect of earthworm cast formation on the stabilization of organic matter in fine soil fractions (pp. 251-254) https://doi.org/10.1016/S1164-5563(01)01092-5
  21. Kaiser et al. (2007) Increased stability of organic matter sorbed to ferrihydrite and goethite on aging (pp. 711-719) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2006.0189
  22. Nannipieri and Smalla (2006) Springer https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29449-X
  23. Gajalakshmi, S., Makhija, M., Abbasi, S.A.: A pre-pilot bench–bench study on vermicomposting of paper waste. In: Abstracts of the National Seminar on Energy Resources, Energy Impact and Industrial Waste Management (EEIWM), Department of Environmental Science, Sri Venketeswara University, Tirupati, 27–28 February 2012
  24. Bashour and Sayegh (2007) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  25. Margesin and Schinner (2005) Springer
  26. Carter, M.R., Gregorich, E.G.: Soil sampling and methods of analysis, 2nd edn. Canadian Society of Soil Science. Taylor and Francis Group, LLC (2008)
  27. Heanes (1984) Determination of total organic-C in soils by an improved chromic acid digestion and spectrophotometric procedure (pp. 1191-1213) https://doi.org/10.1080/00103628409367551
  28. Jenkinson et al. (2004) Measuring soil microbial biomass (pp. 5-7) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2003.10.002
  29. Kandeler et al. (1993) Bestimung von Gesamtstickstoff nach kjeldahl (pp. 346-366) Springer
  30. Jones (2001) CRC Press
  31. Knudsen, D., Beegle, D.: Recommended phosphorus tests. In: Dahnke, W.C. (eds) Recommended chemical soil tests procedures for the North Central region, pp. 12–15. Bulletin No. 499 (Revised), North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Fargo, North Dakota (1988)
  32. Mehlich (1984) Mehlich 3 soil test extractant: a modification of the Mehlich 2 extractant (pp. 1409-1416) https://doi.org/10.1080/00103628409367568
  33. Mersi and Sehinner (1991) An improved and accurate method for determining the dehydrogenase activity of soils with iodo-nitro-tetrazolium chloride (pp. 216-220) https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335770
  34. Eivazi and Tabatabai (1977) Phosphatases in soils (pp. 167-172) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(77)90070-0
  35. Eivazi and Tabatabai (1988) Glucosidases and galactosidases in soils (pp. 601-606) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(88)90141-1
  36. Tabatabai and Bremner (1970) Arylsulfatase activity of soil (pp. 225-229) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1970.03615995003400020016x
  37. Schinner and von Mersi (1990) Xylanase, CM-cellulase and invertase activity in soil: an improved method (pp. 511-515) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(90)90187-5
  38. Tabatabai and Bremner (1972) Assay of urease activity in soils (pp. 479-487) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(72)90064-8
  39. Li et al. (2007) Soil physical properties and their relations to organic carbon pools as affected by land use in an alpine pastureland (pp. 98-105) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.01.006
  40. Schwärzel et al. (2002) Soil physical characteristics of peat soils (pp. 479-486) https://doi.org/10.1002/1522-2624(200208)165:4<479::AID-JPLN479>3.0.CO;2-8
  41. Kechavarzi et al. (2010) Physical properties of low-lying agricultural peat soils in England (pp. 196-202) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.08.018
  42. Gorres et al. (2001) Soil micropore structure and carbon mineralization in burrow and casts of an anecic earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) (pp. 1881-1887) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(01)00068-2
  43. Schjønning et al. (2011) Relating soil microbial activity to water content and tillage-induced differences in soil structure (pp. 256-264) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.04.022
  44. Yu et al. (2013) Impact of biochar on the water holding capacity of loamy sand soil https://doi.org/10.1186/2251-6832-4-44
  45. Hassink (1995) Decomposition rate constants of size and density fractions of soil organic matter (pp. 1631-1635) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900060018x
  46. Ruhlmann et al. (2006) A new approach to calculate the particle density of soils considering properties of the soil organic matter and the mineral matrix (pp. 272-283) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2005.01.024
  47. Elvira et al. (1998) Vermicomposting of sludges from paper mill and dairy industries with Eisenia andrei: a pilot scale study (pp. 205-211) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(97)00145-4
  48. Ahmad and Qazi (2014) Thermophilic fermentations of lignocellulosic substrates and economics of biofuels: prospects in Pakistan https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-014-0094-4
  49. Franzluebbers et al. (1994) Long-term changes in soil carbon and nitrogen pools in wheat management systems (pp. 1639-1645) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1994.03615995005800060009x
  50. Martin (1991) Short and long-term effects of the endogeic earthworm Milsonia anomala (Omodeo) (Megascolecidae, Oligochaeta) of tropical savannas, on soil organic matter (pp. 234-238) https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335774
  51. Burtelow et al. (1998) Influence of exotic earthworm invasion on soil organic matter, microbial biomass and denitrification potential in forest soils of the northeastern United States (pp. 197-202) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00075-4
  52. Hassink et al. (1993) Relationship between habitable pore space, soil biota and mineralization rate in grassland soils (pp. 47-55) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(93)90240-C
  53. Søndergaard and Middelboe (1995) A cross-system analysis of labile dissolved organic carbon (pp. 283-294) https://doi.org/10.3354/meps118283
  54. Song et al. (2008) Characterization of redox-related soil microbial communities along a river floodplain continuum by fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and 16S rRNA genes (pp. 499-509) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.07.005
  55. Lavelle et al. (1992) Nitrogen mineralization and reorganization in casts of the geophagous tropical earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae) (pp. 49-53) https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336302
  56. Kawaguchi et al. (2011) The role of epigeic Japanese earthworms (Megascolecidae) in soil nutrient cycling and aggregation in a deciduous oak forest soil: a long-term field experiment (pp. 19-30)
  57. Jouquet et al. (2011) Laboratory investigation of organic matter mineralization and nutrient leaching from earthworm casts produced by Amynthas khami (pp. 24-30) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2010.11.004
  58. Aguilar et al. (2014) Experimental research on the effects of water application on greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle feedlots https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-014-0103-7
  59. Lavelle and Martin (1992) Small-scale and large-scale effects of endogeic earthworms on soil organic matter dynamics in soils of the humid tropics (pp. 1491-1498) https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(92)90138-N
  60. Flegel and Schrader (2000) Importance of food quality on selected enzyme activity in earthworm casts (Dendrobaena octaedra, Lumbricidae) (pp. 1191-1196) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(00)00035-3
  61. Tabatabai and Chae (1991) Mineralization of sulfur in soils amended with organic wastes (pp. 684-690) https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1991.00472425002000030030x
  62. Reddy et al. (2002) Sulfur mineralisation in two soils amended with organic manures, crop residues, and green manures (pp. 167-171) https://doi.org/10.1002/1522-2624(200204)165:2<167::AID-JPLN167>3.0.CO;2-1
  63. Wolt (1994) Wiley
  64. Phillips and Greenway (1998) Changes in water-soluble and exchangeable ions, cation exchange capacity, and phosphorus max in soils under alternating waterlogged and drying conditions (pp. 51-65) https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629809369928
  65. Stepniewska et al. (1990) The influence of anaerobic conditions on enzymatic activity in a loess soil (Horizon Ap) (pp. 53-59)
  66. Brzezinâska et al. (1998) Soil oxygen status and dehydrogenase activity (pp. 1783-1790) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00043-1
  67. Allison et al. (2007) Changes in enzyme activities and soil microbial community composition along carbon and nutrient gradients at the Franz Josef chronosequence, New Zealand (pp. 1770-1781) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.02.006
  68. Sinsabaugh et al. (2005) Extracellular enzyme activities and soil organic matter dynamics for northern hardwood forests receiving simulated nitrogen deposition (pp. 201-215) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-004-7112-1
  69. Yao et al. (2009) Interactions between N fertilization, grass clipping addition and pH in turf ecosystems: implications for soil enzyme activities and organic matter decomposition (pp. 1425-1432) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.03.020
  70. Poll et al. (2006) Mechanisms of solute transport affect small scale abundance and function of soil microorganisms in the detritusphere (pp. 583-595) https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.2006.00835.x
  71. Kang and Freeman (1999) Phosphatase and arylsulphatase activities in wetland soils: annual variation and controlling factors (pp. 449-454) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00150-3
  72. Xiao-Chang and Qin (2006) Effect of waterlogged and aerobic incubation on enzyme activities in paddy soil (pp. 532-539) https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(06)60085-4