10.57647/ijrowa-md30-c35t

The rise of the worm: Bibliometric insights into the growing significance of vermicomposting for sustainable agriculture and environmental management

PDF
  • Ridha Mhamdi*1,
  • Darine Trabelsi1,
  1. Laboratory of Legumes and Sustainable Agrosystems, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj-Cedria, BP 901 Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia
The rise of the worm: Bibliometric insights into the growing significance of vermicomposting for sustainable agriculture and environmental management

Received: 2024-02-26

Revised: 2024-07-23

Accepted: 2025-02-12

Published in Issue 2025-10-01

Published Online: 2025-02-26

Copyright (c) -1 Ridha Mhamdi, Darine Trabelsi (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Mhamdi, R., & Trabelsi, D. (2025). The rise of the worm: Bibliometric insights into the growing significance of vermicomposting for sustainable agriculture and environmental management. International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.57647/ijrowa-md30-c35t
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

PDF views: 216

Abstract

Purpose: This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of vermicomposting research over the past decade, focusing on its several advantages to sustainable agriculture and waste management.

Method: The study encompasses 3259 papers published during the last decade (2013-2022), with a focus on the last five years to identify emerging trends.

Results: A substantial growth in vermicomposting research is observed, with an annual publication output doubling from 2013 to 2022. Subject area analysis reveals prominence in Agricultural and Biological Sciences and Environmental Science. International collaboration has increased over the decade, with India leading in quantity but displaying a Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) below the global average. Other countries, including China, Spain, USA, and Malaysia, exhibit higher FWCI scores. Academic-corporate collaboration is limited, with only 9 papers resulting from such partnerships. Patent analysis indicates a growing interest in vermicomposting-related innovations, with 35 patents published since 2015, emphasizing sustainable practices in agriculture and waste management.

Conclusion: Emerging trends encompass the development of methods for assessing vermicompost maturity and investigating its integration with other waste treatment technologies, optimization of vermicomposting through feedstock diversification, process fine-tuning, and innovative reactor designs, and environmental applications, involving the removal of heavy metals, degradation of microplastics, and wastewater treatment.

Research Highlights

  • A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Scopus, VOSviewer and SciVal
  • A steady increase in annual publications with a particular uptick since 2019
  • 3259 research articles and 35 patents were published during 2013-2022
  • India is the most prolific country, followed by Iran and China
  • Emerging trends: innovative reactor designs, and new environmental applications

Keywords

  • Vermicompost,
  • Vermiculture,
  • Earthworm,
  • Research landscape,
  • Trends,
  • Knowledge gaps
PDF

References

  1. Abbasi SA, Hussain N, Tauseef SM, Abbasi T (2018) A novel Flappable Units Vermireactor Train System ─ FLUVTS ─ for rapidly vermicomposting paper waste to an organic fertilizer. J Clean Prod 198:917–930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.040
  2. Aktas T, Yüksel O (2020) Effects of vermicompost on aggregate stability, bulk density and some chemical characteristics of soils with different textures. J Tekirdag Agric Fac 17:1–11. https://doi.org/10.33462/jotaf.598809
  3. Ameen F, Al-Homaidan AA (2022) Treatment of heavy metal–polluted sewage sludge using biochar amendments and vermistabilization. Environ Monit Assess 194:861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10559-x
  4. An JY, Aung A, Hernandez JO, et al (2022) Effects of torrefied wood chips and vermicompost on tree growth and weed biomass: Implications for the sustainable management of salt-affected reclaimed lands. Land 11:725. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050725
  5. Balachandar R, Baskaran L, Yuvaraj A, et al (2020) Enriched pressmud vermicompost production with green manure plants using Eudrilus eugeniae. Bioresour Technol 299:122578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122578
  6. Bhat SA, Singh J, Vig AP (2018) Earthworms as organic waste managers and biofertilizer producers. Waste Biomass Valorization 9:1073–1086. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-9899-8
  7. Bhattacharya SS, Kim K-H, Ullah MA, et al (2016) The effects of composting approaches on the emissions of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds: A comparison between vermicomposting and general aerobic composting. Environ Pollut 208:600–607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.10.034
  8. Blouin M, Barrere J, Meyer N, et al (2019) Vermicompost significantly affects plant growth. A meta-analysis. Agron Sustain Dev 39:34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-019-0579-x
  9. Campos Silva J, Jayane Nunes Siqueira A, Bezerra Maia H, Rachide Nunes R (2021) Vermicomposting corn waste under cultural and climatic conditions of the Brazilian Backwoods. Bioresour Technol Rep 15:100730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100730
  10. Chakraborty P, Sarkar S, Mondal S, et al (2022) Eisenia fetida mediated vermi-transformation of tannery waste sludge into value added eco-friendly product: An insight on microbial diversity, enzyme activation, and metal detoxification. J Clean Prod 348:131368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131368
  11. Chowdhury A, Roy A, Mandal M, et al (2022) Dynamics of biological contaminants along with microbial community during vermicomposting. In: Fate of Biological Contaminants During Recycling of Organic Wastes. Elsevier Inc., pp 101–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95998-8.00016-9
  12. Chowdhury A, Sarkar A (2023) Vermicomposting—the sustainable solid waste management. In: Waste Management and Resource Recycling in the Developing World. Elsevier Inc., pp 701–719. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90463-6.00013-0
  13. Chowdhury R, Barman S, Choudhury M, et al (2024) Earthworm modifies microbial community and functional genes for lignocellulosic waste valorization: Isolating plant-growth-promoting bacteria via next generation sequencing. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 193:105854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2024.105854
  14. Crutchik D, Rodríguez-Valdecantos G, Bustos G, et al (2020) Vermiproductivity, maturation and microbiological changes derived from the use of liquid anaerobic digestate during the vermicomposting of market waste. Water Sci Technol 82:1781–1794. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2020.427
  15. Cui G, Lü F, Hu T, et al (2022) Vermicomposting leads to more abundant microplastics in the municipal excess sludge. Chemosphere 307:136042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136042
  16. Das S, Goswami L, Bhattacharya SS (2020) Vermicomposting: Earthworms as potent bioresources for biomass conversion. In: Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Sustainable Bioresources for the Emerging Bioeconomy. Elsevier B.V., pp 79–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-64309-4.00003-9
  17. Devi J, Mandal H, Das S, et al (2023) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) remediation during vermicomposting and composting: Mechanistic insights through PAH-budgeting. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30:105202–105219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-29705-0
  18. Dusdal J, Powell JJW (2021) Benefits, motivations, and challenges of international collaborative research: A sociology of science case study. Sci Public Policy 48:235–245. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scab010
  19. Enebe MC, Erasmus M (2023) Vermicomposting technology - A perspective on vermicompost production technologies, limitations and prospects. J Environ Manage 345:118585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118585
  20. Georgi K, Ekaterina S, Alexander P, et al (2022) Sewage sludge as an object of vermicomposting. Bioresour Technol Rep 20:101281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2022.101281
  21. Ghorbani M, Sabour MR, Bidabadi M (2021) Vermicomposting smart closed reactor design and performance assessment by using sewage sludge. Waste Biomass Valorization 12:6177–6190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-021-01426-w
  22. Goswami L, Ekblad A, Choudhury R, Bhattacharya SS (2024) Vermi-converted tea industry coal ash efficiently substitutes chemical fertilization for growth and yield of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in an alluvial soil: A field-based study on soil quality, nutrient translocation, and metal-risk remediation. Sci Total Environ 907:168088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168088
  23. Gupta R, Garg VK (2017) Vermitechnology for organic waste recycling. In: current developments in biotechnology and bioengineering: Solid Waste Management. Elsevier B.V., pp 83–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63664-5.00005-8
  24. Hu X, Zhang T, Tian G, et al (2021) Pilot-scale vermicomposting of sewage sludge mixed with mature vermicompost using earthworm reactor of frame composite structure. Sci Total Environ 767:144217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144217
  25. Indra Kumar Singh S, Singh WR, Bhat SA, et al (2022) Vermiremediation of allopathic pharmaceutical industry sludge amended with cattle dung employing Eisenia fetida. Environ Res 214:113766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113766
  26. Jiang C-L, Jin W-Z, Tao X-H, et al (2019) Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) strengthen the metabolic function of food waste biodegradation by gut microbiome. Microb Biotechnol 12:528–543. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13393
  27. Joshi R, Singh J, Vig AP (2015) Vermicompost as an effective organic fertilizer and biocontrol agent: Effect on growth, yield and quality of plants. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 14:137–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-014-9347-1
  28. Karim KNA, Isa IM, Ramlan MF, et al (2022) Influence of Palm Oil Mills Effluent (POME) sludge vermicomposting on soil physicochemical properties and Zea mays growth performances. Int J Appl Sci Eng 19:4. https://doi.org/10.6703/IJASE.202212_19(4).003
  29. Karmegam N, Jayakumar M, Govarthanan M, et al (2021) Precomposting and green manure amendment for effective vermitransformation of hazardous coir industrial waste into enriched vermicompost. Bioresour Technol 319:124136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124136
  30. Karthikeyan B, Gokuladoss V (2022) Fusion of vermicompost and sewage sludge as dark fermentative biocatalyst for biohydrogen production: A kinetic study. Energies 15(19):6917. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15196917
  31. Kheir AMS, Ali EF, Ahmed M, et al (2021) Biochar blended humate and vermicompost enhanced immobilization of heavy metals, improved wheat productivity, and minimized human health risks in different contaminated environments. J Environ Chem Eng 9(4):105700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105700
  32. Kumar A, Muzamil M, Dixit J (2023) Smart vermicomposting bin for rapid transformation of Dal lake aquatic weed into fortified vermicompost. Int J Recycl Org Waste Agric 12:221–233. https://doi.org/10.30486/ijrowa.2022.1955835.1445
  33. Kumar Badhwar V, Singh S, Singh B (2020) Biotransformation of paper mill sludge and tea waste with cow dung using vermicomposting. Bioresour Technol 318:124097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124097
  34. Kumari S, Chowdhry J, Chandra Garg M (2024) AI-enhanced adsorption modeling: Challenges, applications, and bibliographic analysis. J Environ Manage 351:119968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119968
  35. Kwiek M (2021) What large-scale publication and citation data tell us about international research collaboration in Europe: Changing national patterns in global contexts. Stud High Educ 46:2629–2649. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1749254
  36. Landorfa-Svalbe Z, Vikmane M, Ievinsh G (2022) Vermicompost amendment in soil affects growth and physiology of Zea mays plants and decreases Pb accumulation in tissues. Agric Switz 12(12):2098. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122098
  37. Lim SL, Wu TY, Lim PN, Shak KPY (2015) The use of vermicompost in organic farming: Overview, effects on soil and economics. J Sci Food Agric 95:1143–1156. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.6849
  38. Liu N, Gao R, Xiao S, Xue B (2024) Visualizing the bibliometrics of biochar research for remediation of arsenic pollution. J Environ Manage 349:119513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119513
  39. Mamta K, Rao RJ, Dhar A, Wani KA (2015) Biological alchemy: Gold from garbage or garbage into gold. In: Handbook of Research on Uncovering New Methods for Ecosystem Management Through Bioremediation. IGI Global Scientific Publishing, pp 317–345. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-8682-3.ch013
  40. Mhamdi R (2023) Evaluating the evolution and impact of wood vinegar research: A bibliometric study. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 175:106190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2023.106190
  41. Mhamdi R, Gtari M (2024) Tracking the trajectory of frankia research through bibliometrics: Trends and future directions. Can J Microbiol 70(12):551-564. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2024-0030
  42. Moreno-Reséndez A, Carreón-Saldivar E, Rodríguez-Dimas N, et al (2013) Vermicompost management: An alternative to meet the water and nutritive demands of tomato under greenhouse conditions. Emir J Food Agric 25:385–393. https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.v25i5.13054
  43. Mupambwa HA, Haulofu M, Nciizah AD, Mnkeni PNS (2022) Vermicomposting technology: A sustainable option for waste beneficiation. In: Jacob-Lopes E, Queiroz Zepka L, Costa Deprá M (eds) Handbook of Waste biorefinery: Circular economy of renewable energy. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp 583–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06562-0_21
  44. Narváez-Ortiz WA, Reyes-Valdés MH, Cabrera-De la Fuente M, Benavides-Mendoza A (2022) Multiple linear and polynomial models for studying the dynamics of the soil solution. Soil Syst 6:42. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems6020042
  45. Nayeem-Shah M, Gajalakshmi S, Abbasi SA (2015) Direct, rapid and sustainable vermicomposting of the leaf litter of neem (Azadirachta indica). Appl Biochem Biotechnol 175:792–801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-1339-7
  46. Nie C, Yang J, Sang C, et al (2022) Reduction performance of microplastics and their behavior in a vermi-wetland during the recycling of excess sludge: A quantitative assessment for fluorescent polymethyl methacrylate. Sci Total Environ 832:155005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155005
  47. Nigussie A, Kuyper TW, Bruun S, de Neergaard A (2016) Vermicomposting as a technology for reducing nitrogen losses and greenhouse gas emissions from small-scale composting. J Clean Prod 139:429–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.058
  48. Palaniappan S, Alagappan M, Rayar S (2018) Influence of substrate particle size on vermicomposting of pre-processed vegetable waste. Nat Environ Pollut Technol 17:277–286
  49. Panda AK, Mishra R, Dutta J, et al (2022) Impact of vermicomposting on greenhouse gas emission: A short review. Sustain Switz 14(18):11306. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811306
  50. Pottipati S, Kundu A, Kalamdhad AS (2022) Process optimization by combining in-vessel composting and vermicomposting of vegetable waste. Bioresour Technol 346:126357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126357
  51. Ragoobur D, Huerta-Lwanga E, Somaroo GD (2022) Reduction of microplastics in sewage sludge by vermicomposting. Chem Eng J 450:138231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.138231
  52. Rahman MM, Kamal MZU, Ranamukhaarachchi S, et al (2022) Effects of organic amendments on soil aggregate stability, carbon sequestration, and energy use efficiency in wetland paddy cultivation. Sustainability 14:4475. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084475
  53. Ramesh MK, Kalaivanan K, Durairaj S, Selladurai G (2022) Studies on the efficiency of Eudrilus eugeniae in the bioconversion of tamarind fruit shell waste mixed with diclofenac and bisphenol-A. Agric Sci Dig 42:171–176. https://doi.org/10.18805/ag.D-5299
  54. Ramnarain YI, Ansari AA, Ori L (2019) Vermicomposting of different organic materials using the epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida. Int J Recycl Org Waste Agric 8:23–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40093-018-0225-7
  55. Rehman SU, De Castro F, Aprile A, et al (2023) Vermicompost: Enhancing plant growth and combating abiotic and biotic stress. Agronomy 13(4):1134. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041134
  56. Rorat A, Vandenbulcke F (2019) Earthworms converting domestic and food industry wastes into biofertilizer. In: Industrial and Municipal Sludge: Emerging Concerns and Scope for Resource Recovery. Elsevier Inc., pp 83–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815907-1.00005-2
  57. Rosik-Dulewska C, Ciesielczuk T, Karwaczyńska U, Gabriel H (2014) The influence of red worms (E. foetida) on compost’s fertilizing properties. J Ecol Eng 15:67–72. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993.1094980
  58. Sáez JA, Pedraza Torres AM, Blesa Marco ZE, et al (2022) The effects of agricultural plastic waste on the vermicompost process and health status of Eisenia fetida. Agronomy 12(10):2547. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102547
  59. Sáez JA, Pérez-Murcia MD, Vico A, et al (2021) Olive mill wastewater-evaporation ponds long term stored: Integrated assessment of in situ bioremediation strategies based on composting and vermicomposting. J Hazard Mater 402:123481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123481
  60. Sevak P, Pushkar B (2024) Arsenic pollution cycle, toxicity and sustainable remediation technologies: A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis. J Environ Manage 349:119504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119504
  61. Sharma K, Garg VK (2022) Vermicomposting technology for organic waste management. In: Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Advances in Composting and Vermicomposting Technology. Elsevier Inc., pp 29–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91874-9.00009-7
  62. Sharma K, Garg VK (2018) Comparative analysis of vermicompost quality produced from rice straw and paper waste employing earthworm Eisenia fetida (Sav.). Bioresour Technol 250:708–715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.11.101
  63. Shen Z, Yu Z, Xu L, et al (2022) Effects of vermicompost application on growth and heavy metal uptake of barley grown in mudflat salt-affected soils. Agronomy 12(5):1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051007
  64. Singh BJ, Chakraborty A, Sehgal R (2023) A systematic review of industrial wastewater management: Evaluating challenges and enablers. J Environ Manage 348:119230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119230
  65. Singha WJ, Deka H (2023) Instrumental characterization of matured vermicompost produced from organic waste. In: Earthworm Technology in Organic Waste Management: Recent Trends and Advances. Elsevier Inc., pp 231–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-16050-9.00017-7
  66. Song X, Li H, Song J, et al (2022) Biochar/vermicompost promotes Hybrid Pennisetum plant growth and soil enzyme activity in saline soils. Plant Physiol Biochem 183:96–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.05.008
  67. Srivastava V, Squartini A, Masi A, et al (2021) Metabarcoding analysis of the bacterial succession during vermicomposting of municipal solid waste employing the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Sci Total Environ 766:144389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144389
  68. Tammam AA, Rabei Abdel Moez Shehata M, Pessarakli M, El-Aggan WH (2023a) Vermicompost and its role in alleviation of salt stress in plants – I. Impact of vermicompost on growth and nutrient uptake of salt-stressed plants. J Plant Nutr 46:1446–1457. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2022.2072741
  69. Tammam AA, Shehata MRAM, Pessarakli M, El-Aggan WH (2023b) Vermicompost and its role in alleviation of salt tress in plants – II. Impact of vermicompost on the physiological responses of salt-stressed plants. J Plant Nutr 46:1458–1478. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2022.2072742
  70. Tavali IE, Ok H (2022) Comparison of heat-treated and unheated vermicompost on biological properties of calcareous soil and Aloe vera growth under greenhouse conditions in a mediterranean climate. Agronomy 12:2649. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112649
  71. Tippawan P, Jienkulsawad P, Limleamthong P, Arpornwichanop A (2022) Composting time minimization of mature vermicompost using desirability and response surface methodology approach. Comput Chem Eng 167:108037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2022.108037
  72. Velez-Estevez A, García-Sánchez P, Moral-Munoz JA, Cobo MJ (2022) Why do papers from international collaborations get more citations? A bibliometric analysis of library and information science papers. Scientometrics 127:7517–7555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-022-04486-4
  73. Vuković A, Velki M, Ečimović S, et al (2021) Vermicomposting—facts, benefits and knowledge gaps. Agronomy 11(10):1952. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11101952
  74. Yadav A, Garg VK (2019) Biotransformation of bakery industry sludge into valuable product using vermicomposting. Bioresour Technol 274:512–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.12.023
  75. Zhang C, Liu J, Zhu Y, et al (2023) Nitrous oxide emissions from vermicompost preparation and application phases: Emission factors based on a meta-analysis. Appl Soil Ecol 183:104769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104769