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Vermiremediation and detoxification of sugar beet pulp waste using Allium cepa bioassay

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Abstract

In the present study, sugar beet pulp (SBP) was subjected to bioconversion by earthworm Eisenia fetida in a vermicomposting process. SBP and cattle dung were mixed in different ratios of 0:100 (SBP0) 10:90 (SBP10), 20:80 (SBP20), 40:60 (SBP40) and 80:20 (SBP80). Allium cepa L. genotoxicity bioassay test was used to check the reduction of toxicity of waste during vermicomposting. The results revealed the increase in the root length and mitotic index (MI) values of final vermicomposted mixtures. The maximum root length (cm) and MI (%) values were found in the final feed mixtures of SBP0 (control) (7.52 ± 0.33 cm) and SBP10 (16.7 ± 0.29%) concentrations, respectively. The vermicomposted feed mixtures of sugar beet pulp showed 34–62% reduction in the chromosomal aberrations with maximum decline (62.0%) in SBP20 concentration. The study indicated that the earthworms have the potential to minimize the toxicity of SBP waste. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of SBP40 feed mixture revealed that the final product was more fragmented and scattered in nature than the initial raw waste.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge University Grants Commission (UGC) New Delhi for financial support under University with Potential for Excellence (UPE) and Basic Scientific Research (BSR) Schemes. The authors also acknowledge Head, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, for access to necessary research facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India

    Sartaj Ahmad Bhat & Adarsh Pal Vig

  2. River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Sartaj Ahmad Bhat

  3. P.G. Department of Zoology, Khalsa College, Amritsar, India

    Jaswinder Singh

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  1. Sartaj Ahmad Bhat
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  2. Jaswinder Singh
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  3. Adarsh Pal Vig
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Correspondence to Adarsh Pal Vig.

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Bhat, S.A., Singh, J. & Vig, A.P. Vermiremediation and detoxification of sugar beet pulp waste using Allium cepa bioassay. Energ. Ecol. Environ. 3, 242–249 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-018-0096-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-018-0096-9

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