Abstract
To study the effects of vermicomposting on the chemical properties and bioavailability of Cd/Zn in sludge, earthworms (Eisenia foetida) at different densities were inoculated into pure sludge, and sludge and earthworms were collected regularly to determine the earthworm biomass, the main chemical indexes, the structure of the functional groups, and the Cd/Zn content in the sludge. The results showed that the growth curve of earthworms in pure sludge could be well fitted by the logistic model. Earthworm activity eventually reduced the total organic carbon (TOC), fulvic acid (FA), and C/N ratio and increased the electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), humic acid (HA), and HA/FA ratio in the sludge. TOC, TN, and pH inhibited the bioavailability of Cd/Zn, while HA and EC promoted the bioavailability of Cd/Zn. Earthworm activity ultimately increased the content of Cd/Zn in the sludge. The bioavailability of Cd/Zn was reduced during the rapid growth period of the earthworms but increased during the stable growth period of the earthworms. A suitable vermicomposting time should be determined to ensure the activation or passivation of Cd/Zn.
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This research was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFD0300106-3) and the Natural Foundation of Hei Longjiang Province, China (C2017060).
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Highlights
• Earthworms can treat sludge without the addition of auxiliary materials, and the growth curve can be fitted well by the logistic model.
• Chemical analysis combined with FT-IR demonstrated that earthworm activity promoted the humification of sludge.
• Earthworm activity ultimately increased the Cd/Zn content in sludge.
• A suitable vermicomposting time should be determined to ensure the activation or passivation of Cd/Zn.
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Zhang, J., Sugir, M., Li, Y. et al. Effects of vermicomposting on the main chemical properties and bioavailability of Cd/Zn in pure sludge. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 20949–20960 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05328-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05328-2