Vermicomposting of herbal pharmaceutical industry waste: Earthworm growth, plant-available nutrient and microbial quality of end materials

Efforts were made to decompose herbal pharmaceutical industrial waste (HPIW) spiked with cow dung (CD) using Eisenia fetida. A total of five vermibeds:T-1 - HPIW (0% + CD 100%, control), T-2 - HPIW (25%), T-3 - HPIW (50%), T-4 - HPIW (75%) and T-5 - HPIW (100%) were used for vermicomposting. The changes in biology and chemistry of vermibeds were measured after ten days interval. E. fetida showed high growth and cocoon production rate in all vermibeds. The vermicomposted material contained great population of fungi 6.0-40.6 (CFU x 10(5)g(-1)), bacteria 220-1276.0 (CFU x 10(8) g(-1)) and actinomycetes 410.0-2962.0 (CFU x 10(5) g(-1)) than initial material. Vermicomposted material was rich in plant-available forms of nutrients (N-NO3-, PO43-, available K andSO(4)(-2)). Results suggested that noxious industrial waste can be converted into valuable product for sustainable soil fertility programme. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.