Abstract
Several technologies are being applied for treatment of palm oil mill wastes. Among them, the biological treatments (vermicomposting) have widely been recognized as one of the most efficient and eco-friendly methods for converting organic waste materials into valuable products. The present study focuses on vermicomposting of acidic palm oil mill effluent (POME) mixed with the palm pressed fibre (PPF) which are found difficult to decompose in the environment. The industrial waste (POME) was vermicomposted using Lumbricus rubellus under laboratory conditions for a period of 45 days. A significant improvement in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content was monitored during vermicomposting process. In addition, the decline in C:N ratio of vermicompost (up to 17.20 ± 0.60) reflects the degree of stabilization of POME–PPF mixture. Different percentages of the vermicompost extract obtained from POME–PPF mixture were also examined for the germination of mung bean (Vigna radiata) seed. The results showed that 75% vermicompost extract demonstrated better performance for the seed germination. On the basis of significant findings, POME–PPF mixture can be successfully used as a feeding material for the earthworms, while on the other hand, it can also be used as a cost-effective fertilizer for the germination and the proper growth of mung bean.
Highlights
The production of crude palm oil in Malaysia has increased and reached approximately 40% in improvement as compared to the past decade (4.0 million tonnes in 2004 and standing at a peak value of 19.2 million tonnes by 2013 (MPOB 2014)
The present study focuses on vermicomposting of acidic palm oil mill effluent (POME) mixed with the palm pressed fibre (PPF) which are found difficult to decompose in the environment
Different percentages of the vermicompost extract obtained from POME–PPF mixture were examined for the germination of mung bean (Vigna radiata) seed
Summary
The production of crude palm oil in Malaysia has increased and reached approximately 40% in improvement as compared to the past decade (4.0 million tonnes in 2004 and standing at a peak value of 19.2 million tonnes by 2013 (MPOB 2014). As per the global index, more than one-third of vegetable oil production is achieved by the processing of oil palm fruit together with other wastes including palm oil mill effluent (POME), empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm pressed fibre (PPF), as well as palm kernel shell (PKS) (Madaki and Seng 2013). It is found that POME contains high organic content (80,000 mg/L COD) (Abdurahman et al 2011) along with water soluble and suspended materials (palm fibre and oil residues). Before the implementation of stringent environmental protection criteria (in the past 1960), POME either partially treated or as a raw material was directly discharged into the water bodies (Okwute and Isu 2007) which resulted in the devastating of eutrophication.
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