Press Mud Research Articles

Hydrogenotrophic methanogen strain of Methanospirillum from anaerobic digester fed with agro-industrial waste

A hydrogenotrophic, mesophilic methanogen designated as strain T53BJ was isolated from anaerobic digester continuously fed with agro-industrial waste. Cells were stained Gram negative, spiral shaped, motile and found resistant to cell lysis by SDS and hypotonic solution. Growth occurred with optimum (i) temperature of 30 °C (20–40 °C) (ii) pH of 7.0 (6.5–8.5), in the presence of 0.0–0.2 M NaCl with a doubling time of 73.43 h and utilized only hydrogen and carbon dioxide (H2:CO2; 4:1) as a sole source of carbon and energy. The phenetic and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and mcrA gene sequences revealed close affiliation of T53BJ strain to the genus Methanospirillum spp. This is the first report about isolation of hydrogenotrophic Methanospirillum spp. from anaerobic digester fed with fruit waste, press mud and neem seed cake, suggesting its potential use for bioaugmentation of anaerobic reactors or upgrading biogas/ syngas to methane.

Response of paper mill sludge and press mud as soil ameliorants on productivity and nutrient uptake in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under mid central table land zone of Odisha

The field experiment was carried out at Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (OUAT), Mahisapat of Dhenkanal district during kharif season of 2016 and 2017 to study the response of press mud as soil ameliorant on productivity of groundnut under Mid Central Tale Land zone of Odisha. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with four replications comprising of six treatments T1-Soil Test Dose (STD), T2-STD+FYM @ 5 t ha-1, T3-STD + PMS 0.2 LR, T4-STD + PMS 0.2 LR + FYM @5 t ha-1, T5-STD+ Press mud 0.2 LR, T6- STD +Press mud 0.2 LR +FYM @)5 t ha-1. It was revealed that T4 recorded significantly higher pod yield (19.45 q ha-1), 100 kernel weight (37.08 g) and shelling percent (67.33) followed by T3 with pod yield (17.58 q ha-1), 100 kernel weight (36.88 g) and shelling percent (67.18). T4 was superior over T1 with the yield advantage of 41.4% and B: C (2.26). The same treatment recorded higher uptake of N, P and K with 111.5, 12.22 and 106.25 kg ha-1, respectively.

Effect of acidified press mud on growth of Emblica officinalis (Aonla) and soil properties in the semi-arid region

A field experiment was conducted on sandy loam calcareous soil in Palwan village of district Jind, Haryana in order to study the effect of four levels of Acidified Press Mud (APM) viz., 0, 5.0, 10.0 and 15.0 kg APM/ plant on growth of aonla (Emblica officinalis) and soil properties. In the study, it was observed that application of 15.0 kg APM/plant of aonla gave significantly higher mean growth (height 342.25 cm and girth 23.75 cm) over control. The mean increase in aonla height with the application of 15.0, 10.0 and 5.0 kg APM/plant over the control was 53.87, 29.89 and 13.48%, respectively. Application of 15.0 kg APM/plant registered an increase of 80.88% in aonla girth over the control. The concentration of all the nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Mn) in aonla plants were significantly increased with increased levels of APM/plant over the control, while concentration of Na in aonla plants decreased with increased levels of APM/plant. The availability of N, P, K and Ca + Mg in soil also found to increase significantly with increasing levels of APM application. However, Na content in soil was decreased with increasing levels of APM over control. The pH of the soil was decreased from 8.43 in no APM to 7.43 in 15.0 kg APM/plant. The electrical conductivity and organic C content of the soil were also significantly increased with increasing levels of APM/plant. The availability of the micronutrients (Zn, Fe and Mn) in soil recorded significantly higher levels with increasing levels of APM/plant over the control. This study suggests that the application of APM can enhance the aonla growth in poor fertile calcareous soils by improving soil fertility.

Growth and Production of Pakchoy Under Various Type of Organic Fertilizer

This study was conducted in Wiringpalenna village, Tempe sub-district of Wajo district, with the aim to determine the effect of the type of organic matter on the growth and production of pakchoy plants. The study was arranged based on a Randomized Block Design with five treatments namely: without organic matter, chicken manure, Blotong (Filter press mud), bokashi common water hyacinth, bokashi rice straw. The results showed that from variables tested; plant height, the number of leaves, the width of leaves, fresh weight of plants, fresh weight of plants per plot, and fresh weight per hectare, treatment with bokashi common water hyacinth obtained the best result

Comparative evaluation of wheat straw and press mud biochars for Cr(VI) elimination from contaminated aqueous solution

Abstract Chromium (Cr(VI)) presence in aqueous systems has become a worldwide health and environmental concern. Here, we compared and explored the Cr(VI) removal potential of novel biochars produced from wheat straw and press mud in aqueous media under varying environmental conditions such as pH (3–10), sorbent dose (0.1–1.3 g L−1), shaking time (0.016–24 h) and initial sorbate concentration (10–250 mg L−1). Sorption batch studies showed that wheat straw biochar (WSB) achieved 97% Cr(VI) removal than 91% of press mud biochar (PMB) with 120 mg L−1 initial metalloid concentration, 0.6 g L−1 sorbent dose and 2 h shaking time. Kinetic modeling showed that pseudo-second order equation ( R 2 = 0 .99) fitted well the equilibrium kinetic data of both biochars indicating the Cr(VI) sorption was a fast process. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models provided the best fit to the equilibrium data of WSB and PMB respectively, showing monolayer and multilayer sorption processes for WSB and PMB, respectively. The FTIR and XPS spectroscopy elucidated that mainly –OH functional groups along with other aromatic and aliphatic carbon- and oxygen-rich functional moieties were responsible for Cr(VI) sorption onto biochars. The XPS analyses also revealed that Cr(VI) was successfully reduced to Cr(III) after sorption onto WSB and PMB. Thus, the developed low-cost WSB and PMB showed promising potential for Cr(VI) removal both by direct sorption and/or after reduction from contaminated aqueous solutions.

Influence of Different Organic Manures and Their Combinations on Productivity and Quality of Bread Wheat

Organic manures are a vital source of plant nutrients and act as the main pillar of sustainable agriculture. This 2-year field study was done to evaluate the influence of different organic manures and their combinations on productivity and grain quality of bread wheat. In a 2-year field experiment, there were eight organic manure application treatments: (1) control (no manure), (2) press mud (PM) 10 t ha−1, (3) vermicompost (VC) 10 t ha−1, (4) farmyard manure (FYM) 10 t ha−1, (5) press mud 5 t ha−1 + vermicompost 5 t ha−1, (6) press mud 5 t ha−1 + farmyard manure 5 t ha−1, (7) vermicompost 5 t ha−1 + farmyard manure 5 t ha−1, and (8) press mud 3.3 t ha−1 + vermicompost 3.3 t ha−1 + farmyard manure 3.3 t ha−1. Overall, the increase in grain yield from organic manures application (press mud, vermicompost and farmyard manure), alone and in combinations, was VC > VC + FYM > FYM > PM + VC > PM > PM + VC + FYM > PM + FYM with 68, 66, 55, 53, 38, 36, and 30% increase as compared to control during both years. The highest improvement (14.1%) in grain protein contents was recorded from vermicompost as compared to control during both years. Application of different organic manures, alone and in combinations, were cost effective. However, the highest benefit-cost ratio (1.56) was recorded from the farmyard manure application. Sole and combined application of organic manures improved the productivity and quality of bread wheat. However, the highest productivity and profitability were recorded from the application of vermicompost and farmyard manure, respectively.

Impact of organic manures on the persistence of imidacloprid in the sandy clay loam soil of tropical sugarcane crop ecosystem.

Impact of organic manures, viz., composted coir pith, press mud, sugarcane trash, and farmyard manure (FYM) on the persistence of imidacloprid in the sandy clay loam soil of tropical sugarcane crop ecosystem, was studied by employing rapid sample preparation method and reversed phase HPLC. The recoveries of the method employed to determine the residues of imidacloprid in the soil were in the range of 94.5 ± 7.02-97.3 ± 2.94% across the five levels of fortification ranged between 0.005 and 0.5 μg/g. Imidacloprid was observed to persist in the soil manured with FYM and composted coir pith for 30 days with the half-life of 7.62 and 7.0 days, respectively as against 21 days with the half-life of 6.66 days in the non-manurial soil. The comparatively longer persistence of imidacloprid in the FYM and composted coir pith-applied soils was attributed to reduced leaching from the plow layer due to the adsorption of insecticide molecules by the added organic manures.

Effect of organic manures on growth, yield and quality of turmeric (Curcuma longa L)

The use of organic manures in the agricultural plays a vital role in improving the quality of turmeric as well as improving the soil health. Turmeric is having a close relation with human health; hence demand of organically grown turmeric is increasing tremendously. A field trial was conducted to study the effect of different organic manures (generally recommended fertilizer dose, farmyard manure, vermicompost, press mud compost, poultry manure, sugarcane trash, wheat straw, turmeric trash and jeevamrut ) on the yield and curcumin content of turmeric Cv. Phule Swarupa on Inceptisol at Agricultural Research Station, Dist-Sangli, Maharashtra, India. The trial was conducted on the fixed site of soil for the continuous of five years (2009-2013). The maximum dry yield (62.42 q ha-1) of the turmeric was recorded by application of the general recommended dose of fertilizer (GRDF) i. e. 25 MT FYM + 200:100:100 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha-1 which was at par with the vermicompost (11.36 T ha-1). The highest number of leaves per tiller and number of tillers per plant, plant height and curcumin content was recorded in the GRDF, which was at par with vermicompost. The highest benefit: cost ratio (1.59) was also noticed in GRDF, which was at par with the application of vermicompost (1.54) on a nitrogen basis. The soil available nutrient status was taken into consideration during experimentation. The application of vermicompost (11.36 T ha-1) along with Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria and Azospirillium @ 5 kg ha-1, respectively at the time of planting was found superior for higher dry yield (55.45 q ha-1), net monetary returns (Rs. 137035) and maintenance of soil fertility for organic cultivation of turmeric.

Influence of organic amendments on dissipation and leaching potential of penoxsulam under laboratory conditions

ABSTRACTApplication of organic amendments to soil is a frequent agricultural practice for avoiding the irreversible soil degradation. However, this practice could modify the behaviour of applied herbicide. This study evaluates the impact of organic matter (OM) amendment on dissipation and leaching of penoxsulam. The addition of OM amendments enhanced the degradation rate of penoxsulam and 91.27, 89.46, 89.05 and 81.03% degradation was observed in press mud (PM), farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (POM) and vermicompost (VC)-amended soils after 30 days in comparison to 67.31% degradation in unamended soil. PM OM amendment was most effective in enhancing the degradation of penoxsulam. Three metabolites of penoxsulam were detected and depending upon the type of amendment there was variation in appearance and persistence of these metabolites in soil. The analysis of penoxsulam at different soil depths showed that it leached up to the depth of 30–40 cm in unamended and VC and FYM amended soil whereas to a depth of 20–30 cm in POM and PM-amended soil. The residual amounts of penoxsulam at lower depths were lesser in the amended soils than in unamended soil. None of the leachate fractions showed the presence of penoxsulam residues. The use of OM amendment in soil is an effective management practice for controlling potential pollution caused by penoxsulam to the environment.

Co-composting and vermicomposting of coal fly-ash with press mud: Changes in nutrients, micro-nutrients and enzyme activities

Abstract The present study was designed to determine the effect of vermicomposting on physico-chemical properties, nutrient status and heavy metal concentration of buffalo dung, fly ash and press mud. Different ratios of buffalo dung, fly ash and press mud mixtures were used with/without Eisenia fetida in this study. Vermicomposting of different feedstock mixtures for 90 days leads to significant reduction in pH, TOC, CN ratio and augmentation of plant nutrients such as sodium, potassium, phosphorous and calcium. Enzymatic activities (Dehydrogenase, urease, and phosphatase) were found elevated in the vermicompost feedstocks on day-30 followed by reduction up to 90 days. Moreover, the vermicomposting approach significantly reduced the heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Co, Cd, and As) in the feedstocks. It was found that an appropriate amount of buffalo dung, press mud, and fly ash favors the reproduction and growth of earthworms. The study results further supported the germination index on tomato plant seeds (Solanum lycopersicum). The results suggested that vermicomposting of press mud and fly ash with Eisenia fetida increased the nutrition content in a short amount of time.

Sugarcane press mud modification of expansive soil stabilized at optimum lime content: Strength, mineralogy and microstructural investigation

Abstract This study attempted to investigate the potential of sugarcane press mud (PM) as a secondary additive in conjunction with lime for the stabilization of an expansive soil. The physico-mechanical properties of an expansive soil, such as plasticity, shrink-swell behavior, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), mineralogical and microstructural characteristics were investigated. The expansive soil was stabilized at its optimum lime content (7%) for producing maximum strength, and was modified with four different quantities of PM in small dosages (0.25%–2%). Cylindrical soil samples, 38 mm in diameter and 76 mm in height, were cast and cured for varying periods to evaluate the strength of the amended soil. The spent samples after strength tests were further used for determination of other properties. The test results revealed that PM modification led to a substantial improvement in 7-d strength and noticeable increase in 28-d strength of the lime-stabilized soil (LSS). The addition of PM does not cause any detrimental changes to the shrink–swell properties as well as plasticity nature of the stabilized soil, despite being a material of organic origin. Mineralogical investigation revealed that the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) minerals, similar to that of pure lime stabilization with only the type of mineral varying due to the modification of PM addition, does not significantly alter the microstructure of the LSS except for superficial changes being noticed.

UTILIZING MODERN / UPDATED ENERGY SAVING TECHNIQUES TO EXPLOIT BY PRODUCTS FOR BETTER ECONOMY OF SUGAR INDUSTRY

The term Sugar cane byproduct comprises primarily on bagasse, Molasses & Press mud. However, their contribution would be more or less 30, 5 & 3 % on cane respectively. While, cumulative reflection remains 37– 38%. Principally, byproducts contribute to curtail cost of production to measurable & even survival extent. Amongst all, bagasse due to their 30% larger share has greater opportunity is utilized as prime byproduct to reduce cost with energy efficiency. By & large, bagasse itself utilize to generate power production on cheapest cost as compared to other sources of fuel. Currently, country – wide sugar industry, utilized bagasse to generate power @ 10 - 12 KG/KWH for self-generation. However, Cogeneration can reduce its consumption to 5 KG/KWH which is tremendous opportunity for sugar industry to make it proficient (Its Cogen mode steam consumption of extraction – condensing turbines having parameters 110 bar/ 540 Celsius with power output of 31.2 MW consumed steam at 5 Kg/KWH) With latest techniques steam consumption can be reduced from conventional 50 to 36 – 42% on cane. In order to focus potential opportunities to save bagasse or energy, five distinct areas i.e. a) Mill house Electrification, b) Installation of FFE with integrated vapor distribution, c) capacity utilization, d) Milling equipment & finally e) Plant automation significantly contributes towards optimization with justified pay back.

Design of a cogeneration plant for sugar industries using renewable energy resources

Cogeneration is a broader term associated with sugar industries. Cogeneration systems serve two purposes-generate electricity from steam using waste materials obtained during industrial process and also process heat for industry itself. In order to have a significant increase in generation capacity of electricity in sugar factories, advanced cogeneration systems are used. These systems comprise of high pressure direct combustion steam rankine cycle (SRC) systems and biomass integrated gasification combined cycle (BIG-CC) systems. This paper focuses on the use of BIG-CC system along with bagasse and other sugarcane residues like press mud in sugar industry in India. It is found that with the increase in temperature and pressure of cogenerator, the overall power output and hence the efficiency of the cogenerator unit increases gradually. However, over 60 bar pressure, in many high pressure systems there is a requirement of special construction techniques along with the materials that can withstand the high pressure as well as high temperatures (over 450°C).

Extraction and charactrisation of humic acid from different organic wastes and its physico-chemical properties

A study on characterization and extraction of humic acid collected from various agro-industrial and agricultural organic wastes from different locations viz., cocopeat, coffee pulp, pressmud, biofuel waste, distillery biocompost, sewage sludge, poultry manure, vermicompost, urban compost and farm yard manure (FYM). Results revel that physical properties such as bulk density and water holding capacity of different organic wastes ranged from 0.22 Mg m-3 (85.50 %) in coco peat to 0.69 Mg m-3 (40.21%) of biofuel waste. Chemical properties like pH of poultry manure (pH 8.32) were alkaline in nature and biofuel waste (pH 5.28) slightly acidic in nature. Electrical conductivity was high 1.89 dSm-1in coffee pulp followed by FYM 1.50 dS m-1. Organic carbon content was higher (40.99%) in biofuel waste. While it was lowest (14.13%) in sewage sludge. With respect to major and secondary nutrients poultry manure recorded higher total N, P, K and Ca (2.85, 1.56, 1.92 and 3.89 %) and iron, manganese, copper and zinc(3850, 541.30, 76 and 476 mg kg-1 respectively). Higher recovery of humic and fulvic acid, (8.92 and 4.21 %, respectively) was recorded in press mud and lowest was in coco peat with 3.43 and 2.45 per cent, respectively. Elemental composition (CHNO) of humic acid extracted from poultry manure had higher N (6.01 %) followed by pressmud and coffee pulp. Higher C (61.04 %) and H (8.89%) were recorded in biofuel waste and O (52.31 %) was higher in sewage sludge. Carboxyl (6.08 meq g-1), phenolic hydroxyl (1.94 meq g-1) groups and total acidity (8.02 meq g-1) was higher in poultry manure followed by pressmud and coffee pulp. However, lower content of carboxyl (2.84 meq g-1) phenolic hydroxyl group (1.32 meq g-1) and total acidity (4.16 meq g-1) was observed in biofuel waste. Slightly higher concentration of nickel (21.8 mg kg-1) and chromium (17 mg kg-1) was observed in humic acid of sewage sludge.

Effect of phosphorus, psb and press mud on yield of summer mung

Effect of phosphorus, psb and press mud on yield of summer mung

Biostimulant Potential of Organic and Inorganic Amendments to Alleviate the Drought Stress in Wheat Crop in Pakistan

Drought is one of the most harmful environmental factors that adversely affect the growth of economically important crops and global food security. Its prevalence is increasing worldwide as a result of global warming and about one-third of the world land area is prone to drought. Droughts are also common in Pakistan that affects the agriculture. Wheat is the most important cereal crop in all over the world, but in Pakistan its yield is much lower than other countries. So, under this scenario there is a need to develop environment friendly approaches to mitigate the effects of drought stress for sustainable agricultural productivity. Use of organic matter can enhance soil moisture holding capacity and allow penetration of plant roots to access soil moisture and nutrients for higher crop yield. So, it is important to keep soil organic matter at reasonable levels to preserve the healthy soil. Cow dung manure and press mud both are good source of organic matter that can enhance nutrients and water holding capacity of soil. Silicon application can also improve the plant resistance to water deficiency under drought. Hence, the combine application of organic and inorganic amendments may be considered a practical approach to stimulate the growth and biomass of wheat crop under drought stress.

Residual effects of frequently available organic amendments on cadmium bioavailability and accumulation in wheat.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation in cadmium (Cd) polluted soil is a core concern to food quality and food security all over the world. Cadmium toxicity is mainly associated with a Cd influx from contaminated soils to human via grain consumption. Organic amendments are widely used for Cd immobilization and enhancement in plant growth, but the residual effects of these amendments are mostly unknown. The present study addressed the long-term effects of organic amendments in contaminated soils by evaluating their residual effects on 3rd crop (wheat) in the sequence. Initially six organic amendments viz. rice husk biochar (RHB), wheat-straw biochar (WSB), cotton-stick biochar (CSB), poultry manure (PM), press mud (PrMd) and farm manure (FM) were applied once at a rate of 2% in Cd (50mgkg-1) contaminated soil with wheat-rice rotation. After the harvest of wheat and rice crops, wheat (Var. Galaxy) was again grown in the same pots. Results revealed that plants grown under Cd stress (without any amendment) contain more tissue (root, shoot and grain) and soil AB-DTPA extractable Cd. The soil amended with RHB has shown lowest AB-DTPA extractable Cd (69% lower than control). Similarly, RHB application has significantly reduced wheat root, shoot and grain Cd concentrations compared to control and other amendments. Results have confirmed the effectiveness of RHB residual contents as an active amendment for restriction of Cd in non-bioavailable pool of soil and better growth and yield of wheat.

Post Stabilization Performance of Lime Stabilized Soil Admixed with Press Mud

In this study the investigational results obtained in the laboratory on expansive soils treated with low-cost materials i.e, lime and press mud are used. It is conducted to check the signs of progress in the properties of expansive soil with Press Mud and lime in varying percentages. The test results such as the Unconfined compression test, liquid limit, plastic limit, shrinkage limit, hydrometer analysis and pH obtained on expansive clays mixed with different proportions of lime and press mud are presented and discussed in this work. From the demonstrated result the addition of Press mud with lime in soil stabilization improves the Unconfined Compressive strength of the soil when compared to lime stabilization alone. The index properties of the soil have also been marginally improved due to the addition of Press mud as an admixture.

UTILIZATION OF SUGARCANE FILTER PRESS MUD AS ORGANIC FERTILIZER FOR IMPROVING CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ULTISOLS AND OIL PALM SEEDLINGS

<p>Ultisols is suboptimal soil that have many problems those are low pH, nutrient deficiency and micronutrient toxicity and inhibit for crop growth and need ameliorant for improving the soil fertility. The aim of this research were to investigate the utilization of filter press mud compost for improving chemical properties of Ultisols and growth of oil palm seedling. This research consisted of five levels of compost (A=without compost, B= 4.25 t.ha<sup>-1</sup>,C=8.5 t.ha<sup>-1</sup>, D=12.75 t.ha<sup>-1</sup> and E=17 t.ha<sup>-1</sup>) with three replications. The treatment units were allocated based on Randomized Block Design. The addition of filter press mud compost improving chemical properties of Ultisols especially pH value, decreasing Aluminum, total N 0.45%, organic C 2.19%, available P 37.14 ppm, CEC 22.04 cmol.kg<sup>-1. </sup>Filter press mud compost increased growth of oil palm seedling. Application of 12.75 t.ha<sup>-1 </sup>gave the optimum growth of oil palm seedlings. It showed that the crop height increased by 51.56%, leaves by 47.63%, N content by 2.26 %, P content by 0.18 % and K content by 1.44 %.</p>

Energetic, economic and environmental assessment for the anaerobic digestion of pretreated and codigested press mud

This study investigates the feasibility of anaerobic digestion (AD) of press mud previously pretreated, using two methods: Liquid Hot Water (LHW) and Thermo-Alkaline (TA), from an economic, energetic and environmental point of view. Two scenarios, a sugar mill with and without distillery were studied, considering monodigestion and vinasse codigestion. The results have shown that the LHW and TA pretreatments are self-sufficient in terms of thermal requirements since they can recover heat from the biogas engine, but the maximum electric and thermal net energy (64 MWh d−1 and 95 MWh d−1, respectively) was obtained during co-digestion with vinasse. The results of the environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) show that the alternatives improve the environmental profiles, in both scenarios. The endpoint impact category “Human health” had the highest contribution because of both: the burning of fossil fuel at refinery to supply the required electricity; and the production of Ca(OH)2 when vinasse was fed. The AD of pretreated press mud by LHW in CSTR reactors was the most viable for the scenario of a sugar mill without distillery, while the alternative co-digestion with the vinasse of the press mud without pretreatment was the most viable for the scenario of a sugar mill with distillery. This research shows that both the environmental and energetic profiles and the profitability of methane production can improve when the pretreatment and co-digestion of these wastes from the sugar – alcohol production process are considered.