Vermiremediation of filtermud waste mixed with animal dungs into valuable manure using earthworm eudrilus eugeniae (kinberg)

Problem statement: Filter mud has significant fertilizer value but due to prohibitive cost of sludge disposal, it is dumped in open where it adversely affects the ambient environment .Conversion of industrial wastes in to beneficial vermicompost not only solves solid waste accumulation but also yield highly nutritive organic manure. Approach: The management and nutrient recovery from filtermud has been attempted by vermicomposting after mixing it with organic nutrient in appropriate quantities. The final products were nutrient rich, odour free, more mature and stabilized. The results showed that carbon content was decreased during the process and nitrogen content was enhanced. The C: N ratio decreased with time in all the feed mixtures indicating a stabilization of the waste. Results: Bioconversion of filter mud waste using animal wastes like Goat dung, Buffalo dung, Sheep dung and Cow dung lead into nutrients rich manure by using the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae. The results suggest that the filter mud supplementary animal wastes promote the activity of earthworm and produce highly nutritive vermicompost. The chemical composition of the compost prepared by different types of composting using filter mud showed that the level of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, Calcium and metals like Mg, S, Cu and Zn showed and increasing trend during end of the vermicomposting. Conclusion: The present study recommends filtermud mixed with animal wastes for vermicomposting to enhance the functioning of the earthworm and to increase fertilizer value of vermicompost. In the present study also macronutrient and micronutrient content increased significantly in vermicompost prepared from filtermud waste due to the supplementation of goat dung. This is practical significance if adopted by urban farmers as a result of soil health and in turn the productivity of soil can be maintained for further agriculture.