Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Potentiality of Eisenia fetida to degrade disposable paper cups—an ecofriendly solution to solid waste pollution

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to subject the post-consumer waste, namely paper cups for vermicomposting along with cow dung in three different ratios for a period of 90–140 days employing Eisenia fetida. The post-consumer wastes are a menace in many developing countries including India. This waste was provided as feed for earthworms and was converted to vermicompost. Vermicompost prepared with paper cup waste was analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Based on the physicochemical properties, it was evident that the best manure is obtained from type A (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 1:1) than type B (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 1.5:0.5) and type C (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 0.5:1.5). The results showed that earthworms accelerated the rate of mineralization and converted the wastes into compost with needed elements which could support the growth of crop plants. The predominant bacterial strains in the vermicompost were characterized biochemically as well as by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. The bacterial strains like Bacillus anthracis (KM289159), Bacillus endophyticus (KM289167), Bacillus funiculus (KM289165), Virigibacillius chiquenigi (KM289163), Bacillus thuringiensis (KM289164), Bacillus cereus (KM289160), Bacillus toyonensis (KM289161), Acinetobacter baumanni (KM289162), and Lactobacillus pantheries (KM289166) were isolated and identified from the final compost. The total protein content of E. fetida involved in vermicomposting was extracted, and the banding pattern was analyzed. During final stages of vermicomposting, it was observed that the earthworm did not act on the plastic material coated inside the paper cups and stagnated it around the rim of the tub. Further, the degradation of paper cup waste was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Hence, vermicomposting was found to be an effective technology for the conversion of the paper cup waste material into a nutrient-rich manure, a value-added product.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Plate 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aira M, Monroy F, Dominguez J (2006) C to N ratio strongly affects the population structure of Esenia fetida in vermicomposting system. Eur J Soil Biol 42:127–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) Rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of microgram quantaities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christopher FMD, Tricia CMD (1998) Step by step instruction, products, instruction and resources for backward composting. Home composting made easy—7th ed

  • Chris TH, Lester BL, Scott HM (2006) Environmental life cycle assessment of goods and services input—output approach. Resources for the future, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Federation of Indian Chambers of commerce and Industry (FICCI) (2009) Survey on the current status of municipal solid waste management in Indian cities and the potential of landfill gas to energy project in India. Federation House, New Delhi

  • Hu S, Van BAHC (1997) Microbial dynamics associated with multiphasic decomposition of 14c labeled cellulose in soil. Microbial Ecol 33:134–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karthika A, Vasanthy M, Seetha DG, SwabnaV SS (2014) Post-Consumer waste management by virtue of vermicomposting enriched with leaf litter. J Chem Biol Phys Sci 4(2):1765–1772

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaviraj J, Sharma S (2003) Municipal solid waste management through vermicomposting employing exotic and local species of earthworm. Bioresour Technol 90:169–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy G, Dixie cup entry (2012) Apollo glossary. NASA 2–6

  • Lavelle P, Schaefer R, Zaidi Z (1989) Soil ingestion and growth in Millsonia anomala omodeo a tropical earthworm, as influenced by the quality of the organic matter ingested. Pedobiologia 33:379–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee KE (1992) Some trends and opportunities in earthworm research. Biogeosciences 24:1765–1771

    Google Scholar 

  • Lebayon RC, Binet F (2006) Earthworm changes the distribution and availability of phosphorus in organic substrates. Soil Biol Biochem 38:235–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maboeta MS, Van RL (2003) Vermicomposting of industrially produced wood chips and sewage sludge using Eisenia fetida. Ecotoxicol Environ 56:256–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ndegwa PM, Thompson SA (2001) Integrating composting and vermicomposting in the treatment and bioconversion of biosolids. Bioresour Technol 76:107–112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pramanik P, Ghosh GK, Ghosal PK, Banik P (2007) Changes in organic—C, N, P and K and enzyme activites in vermicompost of biodegradable organic waste under liming and microbial inoculants. Bioresour Technol 98:2485–2494

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renuka G, Garg VK (2008) Vermiremediation and nutrient recovery of nonrecyclable paper waste employing Esienia foetida. J Hazar Mater 162:430–439

    Google Scholar 

  • Senesi N, Brunetti G (1996) Chemical and physicochemical parameters for quality evaluation of humic substances produced during composting. Sci Compost 195–212

  • Senesi N (1989) Composted material as organic fertilizer. Sci Total Environ 81(82):521–524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephen F, Altschul A, Warren G, Webb M, Eugene W, Myers B, David JL, Lipman S (1990) Basic local alignment search tool. J Mol Biol 215:403––410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tandon HLS (2009) Methods of analysis of soils, plants, waters. Fertilisers and Organic Manures. Fertilizer development and construction organisation, New Delhi, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi G, Bhardwaj P (2004) Comparative study on biomass production, life cycle and efficiency of Eisenia foetida (Savigny) and Lampito mauritii (Kingberg). Bioresour Technol 92:275–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vivas A, Moreno B, Garcia S, Rodriquez BE (2009) Assesssing the impact of composting and vermicomposting on bacterial community size and structure and microbial functional diversity of an olive-mill waste. Bioresour Technol 100:1319–1326

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xing W, Li C, Gaochan W, Zhenjun S, Hongbo M, Qian S, Jing L (2009) Protein extraction from earth worm Esenia foetida for 2-DE. Proteomics 10:1095–1099

    Google Scholar 

  • Whirely,(2006) Choose to reuse http://www.daytonastate.edu/green/files choosetoreuse presentation1512430.pdf

  • Yasir M, Aslam Z, Kim SW, Lee SW, Jeon CO, Chung YR (2009) Bacterial community composition and chitinase gene diversity of vermicompost with antifungal activity. Bioresour Technol 100(19):4396–4403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zainab D, Valeria D, Maria RP, Mohamed H, Aaziz O (2009) Study of the biodegradation and transformation of olive-mill residues during composting using FTIR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. J Hazar Mater 164:1281–1285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • http://www.nswai.com/ National Solid Waste Association of India (NSWAI) Mumbai, India

Download references

Acknowledgment

The author’s acknowledge the financial support provided by Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF), New Delhi, India, towards the sanction of Major Research Project. The author’s acknowledge the DST—FIST and UGC NON—SAP, New Delhi, for the financial support extended to the department.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vasanthy Muthunarayanan.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Arumugam, K., Ganesan, S., Muthunarayanan, V. et al. Potentiality of Eisenia fetida to degrade disposable paper cups—an ecofriendly solution to solid waste pollution. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 2868–2876 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3456-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3456-9

Keywords

Navigation