title: Vermicomposting of herbal pharmaceutical industry waste: earthworm growth, plant-available nutrient and microbial quality of end materials.
abstract: Efforts were made to decompose herbal pharmaceutical industrial waste (HPIW) spiked with cow dung (CD) using Eisenia fetida. A total of five vermibeds: T(1) - HPIW (0%+CD 100%, control), T(2) - HPIW (25%), T(3) - HPIW (50%), T(4) - HPIW (75%) and T(5) - HPIW (100%) were used for vermicomposting. The changes in biology and chemistry of vermibeds were measured after ten days interval. E. fetida showed high growth and cocoon production rate in all vermibeds. The vermicomposted material contained great population of fungi 6.0-40.6 (CFU × 10(5)g(-1)), bacteria 220-1276.0 (CFU × 10(8)g(-1)) and actinomycetes 410.0-2962.0 (CFU × 10(5)g(-1)) than initial material. Vermicomposted material was rich in plant-available forms of nutrients (N-NO(3)(-),PO(4)(3-),available K and SO(4)(-2)). Results suggested that noxious industrial waste can be converted into valuable product for sustainable soil fertility programme.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India.
authors.forename: Deepika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Surindra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suthar
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D002417:Cattle; D004345:Drug Industry; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000254:growth & development*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D028321:Plant Preparations