Abstract
To investigate the role of cow dung in soil reclamation and bio assimilation along with bio accumulation of heavy metals in earthworm (P. posthuma) (N=900) earthworms were used and treatment groups of CD-soil mixture of different proportion of cow dung were designed. Nonlethal doses of lead acetate and cadmium chloride were added in treatment groups. Mature P. posthuma were released in each experimental pot maintaining the favorable conditions. The pH, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, exchangeable cations, and heavy metal level of each mixture was evaluated. The results indicated that bio-assimilation of Pb and Cd by P. posthuma were significantly (P ˂ 0.01) higher in different soil-CD treatments compared to control. Highest bio-assimilation of both metals was observed in T1 of both groups (Pb = 563.8 mg/kg and Cd = 42.95 mg/kg). The contents of both metals were significantly (P ˂ 0.05) lowered in casting. The nutrient concentration in the final castings of all soil-CD treatments were also equally transformed from less or insoluble to more soluble and available for plants, except for carbon level which increased with CD proportion. It is concluded that cow dung as organic matter has a positive effect on soil reclamation and bio-assimilation of metals by P. posthuma.
Highlights
Cow dung (CD) is undigested fecal matter of buffaloes and cows
To form soil-CD mixture, cow dung samples were collected from dairy farms in Daska city, Pakistan
Metal concentrations in initial substrate were analyzed before adding the Pb and Cd concentration
Summary
Cow dung (CD) is undigested fecal matter of buffaloes and cows. With the increasing demand of cow husbandry, cow dung is a major challenge to clean the environment. CD was utilized as mosquito repellent, burning fuel and as natural fertilizer in India (Gupta et al, 2016). CD is being used as food material in earthworm culturing and vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is the process by which epigeic earthworm species are used for conversion of organic wastes into vermicompost (Suthar et al, 2017). CD is used as feed for earthworm because it is and readily available during composting process. CD was mixed in sewage sludge as source of organic food for vermicomposting (Gupta et al, 2016)
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