Bioconversion of garden waste,kitchen waste and cow dung into value-added products using earthworm Eisenia fetida

Solid waste management is a worldwide problem and it is becoming more and more complicated day by day due to rise in population, industrialization and changes in our life style. Transformation of industrial sludges into vermicompost is of double interest: on the one hand, a waste is converted into value added product, and, on the other, it controls a pollutant that is a consequence of increasing industrialization. Garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung were subjected to recycle through vermicomposting by using the epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida under field conditions. The pH, moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in vermicompost was analysed. It was found that moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium was high in cow dung, followed by kitchen waste and garden waste. This study clearly indicates that vermicomposting of garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung can not only produce a value added produce (vermicomposting) but at the same time reduce the quantity of waste.     

Comparative studies on biomass production, life cycles and composting efficiency of Eisenia fetida (Savigny) and Lampito mauritii (Kinberg)

Comparative studies were performed to evaluate composting potential, biomass growth and biology of a non-native (Eisenia fetida) and an endemic (Lampito mauritii) species of earthworm in the semiarid environment of Jodhpur district of Rajasthan in India. Earthworms were reared in a mixed bedding material comprised of biogas slurry, cowdung, wheat straw, leaflitter, sawdust and kitchen waste. The percentage of organic carbon of the culture bedding material declined upto 105 days with E. fetida and 120 with L. mauritii. The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium increased as a function of the vermicomposting period. In contrast, C/N and C/P ratios decreased day by day. Both species were effective for decomposition and mineralization of mixed bedding in the semiarid environment. A comparative assessment of biomass growth of E. fetida and L. mauritii was done under controlled laboratory conditions. The optimum temperature, moisture content and pH for E. fetida were 25 degrees C, 70% and 6.5, respectively. However, the optimum temperature, moisture content and pH for growth and development of L. mauritii were 30 degrees C, 60% and 7.5, respectively. The biology and reproductive rates of both species were also studied in the laboratory using mixed bedding. Cocoon production was higher for E. fetida than L. mauritii. The net reproductive rate was 9 per month in the case of E. fetida and 1 per month for L. mauritii. Fertilized eggs of E. fetida and L. mauritii developed into adults within 4 and 5 1/4 months, respectively. These observations indicate E. fetida may be a more efficient breeder than L. mauritii in the desert region of Rajasthan.     

Vermicomposting of tannery sludge mixed with cattle dung into valuable manure using earthworm Eisenia fetida (Savigny)

The present study revealed the role of earthworm in converting tannery sludge into a valuable product. Tannery sludge was toxic to earthworm, therefore it was mixed with cattle dung in different proportions viz. 0:100 (T₀), 10:90 (T₁₀), 25:75 (T₂₅), 50:50 (T₅₀) and 75:25 (T₇₅) on dry weight basis. The minimum mortality and highest population buildup of worms was in T₀ mixture. Nitrogen, sodium, phosphorus and pH increased from initial in the range of 7.3-66.6%, 16.90-70.58%, 8.57-44.8% and 2.8-13.65%, respectively. On the other hand potassium, organic carbon and electrical conductivity decreased in the range of 4.34-28.5%, 7.54-22.35% and 32.35-53.12%, respectively. C:N ratio decreased from 20.53% to 47.36% in the final products. Transition metals increased significantly from the initial value and within the permissible limit. The result indicated that vermicomposting with Eisenia fetida is better for changing this sludge into nutrient rich manure in a short period of time.     

The role of earthworm Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) in amending lead and zinc treated soil

A laboratory experiment was carried out to determine the effect of earthworm (Lampito mauritii) activity on mobility of Pb2+ and Zn2+ in the soil (DTPA-extractable) and its composting potential in presence of these metals. Well clitellate earthworms collected from an uncontaminated site were exposed to different concentrations (75, 150, 300mgkg(-1)) of Pb2+ and Zn2+ separately for 30 days. It was observed that the metal burden in the earthworm tissue increased with the increase in metal treatment. L. mauritii elevated the soil pH of all the metal treated beds and lowered the soil C/N ratio in the cast by reducing the organic carbon and fixing additional nitrogen. Earthworm activity significantly increased the availability of phosphorous, potassium and decreased the amount of DTPA-extractable Pb2+ and Zn2+ in the cast, which implies the immobilization of metals in soils. These findings suggest the use of L. mauritii in amelioration of metal contaminated soil.     

Vermicomposting of mixed solid textile mill sludge and cow dung with the epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida

This paper reports the results of a study of vermicomposting with Eisenia foetida of solid textile mill sludge mixed with cow dung in different ratios in a 90 days composting experiment. Vermicomposting resulted in significant reduction in C:N ratio and increase in TKN. Total K and Ca were lower in the final cast than the initial feed mixture. Microbial activity measured as dehydrogenase activity increased up to 75 days and decreased on further incubation. Total P was higher in the final product than the initial feed mixture. Total heavy metal contents were lower in the final product than initial feed mixture. Solid textile mill sludge can be potentially useful as raw substrate in vermicomposting if mixed with up to 30% cow dung (on dry weight basis). The growth and cocoon production of the worm species in different feed mixtures were also investigated.     

Municipal solid waste (MSW) vermicomposting with an epigeic earthworm, Perionyx ceylanensis Mich

Municipal solid waste (MSW) was vermicomposted in combination with cowdung (CD) using Perionyx ceylanensis for 50 days. The decomposition rate of 55-78% was observed in different vermibed substrates, the highest being CD followed by 10:1 ratio of CD + MSW. The C/N ratio was reduced from 41.8 to 17.6 and 38.8 to 15.4 in MSW + CD (10:1) and CD, respectively. The difference in the final C/N ratio between MSW + CD (10:1) and CD vermicompost was not significant (p < 0.05). The important nutrients, NPK showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher contents in vermicomposts than worm-unworked composts. The degradation rate of cellulose and lignin was 37% and 12%, respectively, in 10:1 vermibed mix with P. ceylanensis. The bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes population in vermicompost was significantly higher than in the compost. The biomass, number and cocoons of P. ceylanensis collected after 50 days showed increase with the increase of CD incorporation in MSW.     

Toxicokinetics and Biotransformation of As(III) and As(V) in Eisenia fetida

Earthworms, Eisenia fetida, were exposed to soils spiked with As(III) and As(V), to understand the response of earthworms to As in terms of both toxicity and accumulation using toxicokinetics, and to explain As metabolism and bioavailability. As(III) showed higher toxicity than As(V), in all toxicity endpoints of burrowing time, survival, growth, and cocoon production. Bioconcentration occurred at both As(III) and As(V) treatments during 28-d exposure. Worms did not show the elimination of As for consecutive 28 d of exposure to clean soils. Biotransformation of As was characterized using HPLC-ICP-MS and XANES, showing the reduction of As in worms regardless of the As species to which worms were exposed. Metabolism of As in worms that formed As-thiol complex is thought to limit the excretion of As, and thus induce bioconcentration in worms. Uptake rates by one-compartment model indicated that pore water was the bioaccessible pool of As, and directly controlled the uptake of As by worms. The study suggests that higher uptake rate and bioaccumulation of As(III) than of As(V) are among the factors that make As(III) more toxic than As(V).     

Vermicomposting of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) with two epigeic earthworm species

The bioconversion potential of two epigeic species (Eisenia foetida Sav. and Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg) of earthworms was assessed in terms of efficiency and sustainability of vermicomposting of Taro (Colocasia esculenta (Linn) Schott in Schott and Endl). In different vermireactors, each run in triplicates with one of the two species of earthworms, and 60 g of 6:1 Colocasia:cowdung as feed, vermicasts were produced with steadily increasing output in all the reactors. E. eugeniae was found to be more efficient producer of vermicasts than E. foetida. In all reactors, the earthworms grew well, increasing their weights and number.     

Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste and agricultural waste and the effect of co-digestion with dairy cow manure

Anaerobic digestion of dairy cow manure (CM), the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), and cotton gin waste (CGW) was investigated with a two-phase pilot-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) system. The OFMSW and CM were digested as single wastes and as combined wastes. The single waste digestion of CM resulted in 62m(3) methane/ton of CM on dry weight basis. The single waste digestion of OFMSW produced 37m(3) methane/ton of dry waste. Co-digestion of OFMSW and CM resulted in 172m(3) methane/ton of dry waste. Co-digestion of CGW and CM produced 87m(3) methane/ton of dry waste. Comparing the single waste digestions with co-digestion of combined wastes, it was shown that co-digestion resulted in higher methane gas yields. In addition, co-digestion of OFMSW and CM promotes synergistic effects resulting in higher mass conversion and lower weight and volume of digested residual.     

阿维菌素B1a对土壤微生物和蚯蚓的影响

研究了不同阿维菌素B_1a浓度对种土壤微生物生长和呼吸强度的影响及对土壤中蚯蚓的急性毒性.结果表明,土壤中阿维菌素B_1a浓度在83.3 mg·kg^-1以上时对种土壤细菌均表现出明显的抑制作用,但对土壤真菌不表现抑制作用.高浓度阿维菌素B_1a对土壤微生物的呼吸强度有抑制作用,并且在不同土壤其作用有差异.采用滤纸接触试验和人工土壤试验测定阿维菌素对蚯蚓的急性毒性(半数致死量,LD₅₀),接触毒性LD₅₀为.63μg·cm^-2,土壤法试验测定的LD₅₀在处理后第7 d和第1 d分别为2.13和17.06 mg·kg^-1.     

Reduction of bioavailability of heavy metals during vermicomposting of phumdi biomass of Loktak Lake (India) using Eisenia fetida

Abstract

Vermicomposting of phumdi biomass is a good alternative for protecting Loktak Lake and is advantageous for agriculture purposes. Research was carried out on bioavailability and leachability of nutrients (Na, K, Ca and Mg) and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr) during vermicomposting of phumdi biomass for 45 days using Eisenia fetida earthworm. The bioavailability of heavy metals was determined in the form of water soluble and diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) extractable. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test was performed to determine the leachable heavy metals during the vermicomposting process. The concentration of nutrients increased during the process; whereas the concentration of water soluble, DTPA extractable and leachable heavy metals decreased significantly in all the trials. The vermicomposting of phumdi biomass by Eisenia fetida was very effective for the reduction of bioavailability and leachability of selected heavy metals. The leachability test confirmed that prepared vermicompost is not hazardous for soil, plants and human health. The possibility of using earthworms to mitigate the metal toxicity and to enhance the nutrient profile in phumdi biomass vermicompost, is advantageous in sustainable land renovation practices on a low-input basis.     

Cold-stress induced formation of calcium and phosphorous rich chloragocyte granules (chloragosomes) in the earthworm Eisenia fetida

The cytochemical and functional characteristics of chloragocytes of both 'control' and cold-stressed Eisenia fetida were examined. Flow cytometry revealed the heterogeneity of chloragocytes: the first group was characterized by low, the second one by high acid phosphatase (AcP) content. In 'control' animals the former, in cold-stressed ones the latter type were the dominant form. The elevated AcP-activity correlated with the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles (AVs) in chloragocytes. Both AVs and all small chloragosomes showed high AcP activity, while most of the large chloragosomes did not display any. Most 'control' granules (0.75-1.25 μm) contained high amounts of Ca and P, with less and variable quantities of S, Cl, K, Fe and Zn. Small chloragosomes with low Ca and P concentrations were seldom found. In cold-stressed animals the number of small granules (0.25-0.75 μm) increased up to 40% of total population. Their Ca and P contents were significantly lower; S and Fe concentrations were higher than those of large chloragosomes (1.0-1.5 μm). Our results prove that the formation and elemental composition of chloragosomes can be influenced by environmental stressors and suggest that the mature chloragosomes are tertiary lysosomes and their formation is coupled to autophagocytosis.     

蚯蚓中抗肿瘤蛋白组分的提取分离及其抗肿瘤活性

以赤子爱胜蚓为原料 ,通过蛋白质的丙酮沉淀和凝胶过滤 ,分离得到一组抗肿瘤活性蛋白成分 (简称蚯蚓抽提物 ) ;这组成分富含Fe、Zn、Cu以及Se等微量元素 ,蛋白含量为 6 0 4 3± 2 36 %(n =5 ) .体外实验中 ,通过MTT法和SRB法测定了蚯蚓抽提物对多种人癌细胞株 (HCT 116、SY5Y、K5 6 2、MGc80 3和HeLa)以及正常细胞株 (HEK2 93和COS 7)的抑制杀伤率 .结果表明 ,蚯蚓抽提物对癌细胞的杀伤有一定的选择性 ,受试人癌细胞达到 5 0 %生长抑制率所需作用浓度约 6 0～110mg L ;但是 ,10 0℃煮沸 5min后 ,该抑制活性完全消失 .通过纤维蛋白平板法 ,测得蚯蚓抽提物同时具有纤溶酶和纤溶酶原激活酶的活性 .体外测得丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂aprotinin和PMSF能显著抑制蚯蚓抽提物的细胞杀伤活性 .体内实验中 ,蚯蚓抽提物能有效延长荷瘤 (S180 )小鼠的生存时间 ,并使其身体机能得到明显改善 .腹膜内注射剂量为 2 8mg kg和 36mg kg时 ,生命延长率分别为135 3%和 12 3 5 % ,和标准药物 (环磷酰胺 )治疗后结果 (76 5 % )相比 ,有显著性差异     

低浓度苯并[a]芘诱导赤子爱胜蚓HSP70和HSP90转录上调研究

为寻找土壤低浓度多环芳烃污染分子生物标记物,采用了抑制消减双杂交的方法构建了赤子爱胜蚓在苯并[a]芘（BaP）人工土壤污染胁迫下的差异表达cDNA文库,经测序和基因比对分析后,在上调文库中分别发现2个与热休克蛋白HSP70和1个与HSP90显著匹配的cDNA克隆.经定量PCR验证了0。1 mg·kg^-1和1。0 mg·kg^-1 BaP对赤子爱胜蚓HSP70和HSP90的诱导作用,表明这两个新克隆到的赤子爱胜蚓热休克蛋白基因可作为土壤污染监测的备选分子生物标记物.     

Culture-based and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of the bacterial community structure from the intestinal tracts of earthworms(Eisenia fetida)

The bacterial communities in the intestinal tracts of earthworm were investigated by culture-dependent and - independent approaches. In total, 72 and 55 pure cultures were isolated from the intestinal tracts of earthworms under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. Aerobic bacteria were classified as Aeromonas (40%), Bacillus (37%), Photobacterium (10%), Pseudomonas (7%), and Shewanella (6%). Anaerobic bacteria were classified as Aeromonas (52%), Bacillus (27%), Shewanella (12%), Paenibacillus (5%), Clostridium (2%), and Cellulosimicrobium (2%). The dominant microorganisms were Aeromonas and Bacillus species under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In all, 39 DNA fragments were identified by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis. Aeromonas sp. was the dominant microorganism in feeds, intestinal tracts, and casts of earthworms. The DGGE band intensity of Aeromonas from feeds, intestinal tracts, and casts of earthworms was 12.8%, 14.7%, and 15.1%, respectively. The other strains identified were Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Photobacterium, Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Streptomyces, uncultured Chloroflexi bacterium, and uncultured bacterium. These results suggest that PCR-DGGE analysis was more efficient than the culture-dependent approach for the investigation of bacterial diversity and the identification of unculturable microorganisms.     

Distribution and action of some putative neurotransmitters in the stomatogastric nervous system of the earthworm,Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta,Annelida)

Brain Cell Biology - The chemical neuroanatomy of the stomatogastric nervous system of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida, has been investigated, using antibodies raised against serotonin, tyrosine...     

Two new species of Quasithelazia Maplestone, 1932 (Nematoda: Acuariidae) from Malaysia,with an amended diagnosis and review of the genus

Quazithelazia rostrata n. sp. from Ceyx erithaca (L.) (type-host) and Alcedo euryzona Temminck (Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae) and Q. alata n. sp. from Enicurus ruficapillus Temminck (Passeriformes, Muscicapidae) are described from vicinities of Gombak Biological Station, Selangor, Malaysia; both species are parasitic under the koilin lining of the gizzard. Paratypes of Schistogendra pelargopsis Nandi, De & Majumdar, 1985, a parasite of Pelargopsis capensis (L.) (Alcedinidae) from India, are redescribed and the species is recognised as a junior synonym of the type-species of Quasithelazia, Q. tenuis Maplestone, 1932 (new synonymy), a species originally described from Halcyon smyrnensis (L.) (Alcedinidae) in India. An amended diagnosis of the genus Quasithelazia Maplestone, 1932 is proposed. Currently, this genus includes eight species occurring in the Old World, six of them parasitic in kingfishers (Alcedinidae) and two species parasitic in flycatchers (Muscicapidae). These include, inter alia, Q. halcyoni n. comb. for Viktorocara halcyoni Ryzhikov & Khokhlova, 1964 from Halcyon smyrnensis and H. pileata (Boddaert) in Vietnam and the Russian Far East, Q. microcordonis n. comb. for Rusguniella microcordonis Schmidt & Kuntz, 1971 from Halcyon coromanda major (Temminck & Schlegel) in Taiwan and Q. multipapillata n. comb. for Schistogendra multipapillata Zhang, 1993 from Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas) (Muscicapidae) in China. Comparative morphological data for Quasithelazia spp. are presented. Schistogendra oligopapillata Zhang & An, 2002 from domestic ducks in China is considered a species incertae sedis.     

Bioconversion of poultry manure and vegetable waste mixes by Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

Development time, survival and final nutrient content of Hermetia illucens L. larvae depends on the substrates in which they develop. Mixing different waste types together can increase the performance and survival of the larvae, as well as their waste reduction. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different ratios of mixed fruit and vegetable waste with poultry manure on larval development time, size, biomass production, survival, bioconversion and waste reduction. Freshly hatched neonates (90 mg; approx. 6000 individuals) were placed on 12 kg of a mixture of fruit and vegetable waste and fresh, unprocessed poultry manure and held at 28 ± 0.5°C. Inclusion of fruit and vegetable waste varied from 0% to 100% in 10% increments. Initial temperature of the substrate was also measured. The individual mass of larvae increased significantly as more fruit and vegetable waste was included, from less than 81.3 ± 6.6 mg on poultry manure only to an average size of 211.6 ± 6.0 mg at 100% fruit and vegetable waste. After approximately 60% inclusion of fruit and vegetable waste the performance and survival of the larvae increased significantly while development time was reduced. A combination of high fruit and vegetable waste and low initial temperatures resulted in lower development time overall. The mixing of wastes can be applied in industry to further the goals of waste reduction and biomass production while incorporating low-quality wastes like poultry manure.