Evaluation of anaerobic digestate as a substrate for vermicomposting Online publication date: Sat, 30-Aug-2014
by Karthika Krishnasamy; Jaya Nair; Richard Bell
International Journal of Environment and Waste Management (IJEWM), Vol. 14, No. 2, 2014
Abstract: Vermicomposting is an established process to convert organic wastes into vermicastings suitable for plant growth. This research investigated the vermicomposting of anaerobic digestate with four different ratios of sawdust as a bulking material, for 75 days. The optimum proportion of anaerobic digestate to sawdust was identified as 70:30 based on worm growth and reproduction. Vermicomposting process increased the conversion of ammonium into nitrate when compared with control (p = 0.05). Vermicastings produced at the end of this experiment had significantly high N, NO3-N, P and K than the control (p = 0.05). There was significant reduction in pathogen levels by the worms (99%), and also a germination test undertaken showed an 83% increase in radish seed germination after vermicomposting when compared to raw digestate. The results indicated that vermicomposting with Eisenia fetida is a sustainable technology to convert the anaerobic digestate into nutrient-rich, safe to handle vermicastings, which otherwise is a secondary pollutant.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management (IJEWM):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook