Vermiremediation and nutrient recovery of non-recyclable paper waste employing Eisenia fetida

Abstract

With the industrial growth, changing life style and consumeristic attitude paper consumption has increased significantly in yesteryears. The authors have observed that waste paper obtained from consumable items and used paper products are disposed in open by the consumers as these are not accepted by the salvaging industry. In the present study, an attempt has been made to vermicompost non-recyclable post-consumer paper waste (PW) amended with cow dung (CD) employing Eisenia fetida earthworm in order to transform it into a value added product, i.e., vermicompost. Vermicomposting of paper waste resulted in net reduction in ash content and total organic carbon (42.5–56.8%) but increment in total Kjeldhal nitrogen (2.0–2.4-fold), total potassium (2.0-fold), and total phosphorous (1.4–1.8-fold) was achieved after 91 days of worms’ activity. The C:N ratio decreased with time in all the worm-worked vermireactors in the range of 71.9–82.0%, depicting advanced degree of organic matter stabilization. The FT-IR spectroscopy of the vermicomposts showed reduction in aliphatic compounds during the vermicomposting process. The results also demonstrated the worm growth and reproduction are not significantly affected if PW content is upto 30% in the vermireactor.