Sewage treatment by vermifiltration with synchronous treatment of sludge by earthworms: A low-cost sustainable technology over conventional systems with potential for decentralization

Environmentalist

Volumn 28, Issue 4, 2008, Pages 409-420

  Sinha, Rajiv K ^a   Bharambe, Gokul ^a   Chaudhari, Uday ^a  

^a GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

Author keywords

Biofilter; Biological oxygen demand; Chemical oxygen demand; Hydraulic loading rate; Hydraulic retention time; Odor free process; Stimulate microbial degradation; Synchronous sludge treatment; Vermifilter bed; Vermifiltration

Indexed keywords

AERATION; BIODEGRADATION; COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS; EARTHWORM; FILTRATION; HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY; IMMOBILIZATION; SEWAGE TREATMENT; SOIL MICROORGANISM; SOIL STABILIZATION; SUSTAINABILITY; SYNCHRONY;

EID: 55949083433     PISSN: 02511088     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10669-008-9162-8     Document Type: Article

References (36)

1. ARRPET (2005) Vermicomposting as an eco-tool in sustainable solid waste management. The Asian Regional Research Program on Environmental Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, Anna University, India
2. Bajsa O, Nair J, Mathew K, Ho GE (2003) Vermiculture as a tool for domestic wastewater management. Water science and technology. vol 48, no 11-12. IWA Publishing, pp 125-132 (Viewed on 5th May 2006. www.iwaponline.com/wst/ 04811/wst048110125.htm
3. Bharambe G (2006) Vermifiltration of wastewater from food processing industries (brewery and milk dairy) in Brisbane. 20 CP project submitted for the partial fulfillment of the degree of Master in Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Engineering, Griffith University, Brisbane, June 2006 (Supervisor Dr. Rajiv K. Sinha)
4. Bhawalkar U (1995) Vermiculture eco-technology. Pub. of Bhawalkar Earthworm Research Institute (BERI), Pune, India
5. F Binet L Fayolle M Pussard 1998 Significance of earthworms in stimulating soil microbial activity Biol Fertil Soils 27 79 84
6. Chaudhari U (2006) Vermifiltration of municipal wastewater (sewage) in Brisbane. 20 CP Project submitted for the partial fulfillment of the degree of Master in Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Engineering, Griffith University, Brisbane, June 2006 (Supervisor Dr. Rajiv K. Sinha)
7. Darwin F, Seward AC (1903) More letters of Charles Darwin. A record of his work in series of hitherto unpublished letters, vol 2. John Murray, London, 508 pp
8. Dash MC (1978) Role of earthworms in the decomposer system. In: Singh JS, Gopal B (eds) Glimpses of ecology. India International Scientific Publication, New Delhi, 399-406
9. CA Edwards KE Fletcher 1988 Interaction between earthworms and microorganisms in organic matter breakdown Agri Ecosyst Environ 24 235 247
10. G Fraser-Quick 2002 Vermiculture - a sustainable total waste management solution What's New Waste Manag 4 6 13 16
11. T Gardner P Geary I Gordon 1997 Ecological sustainability and on-site effluent treatment systems Aust J Environ Manage 4 144 156
12. Gerard BM (1960) The biology of certain British earthworms in relation to environmental conditions, Ph.D. Thesis, University of London
13. Graff O (1981) Preliminary experiment of vermicomposting of different waste materials using Eudrilus eugeniae Kingberg. In: Appelhof M (ed) Proceedings of the workshop on 'role of earthworms in the stabilization of organic residues'. Malanazoo Pub. Michigan, USA 179-191
14. Gunathilagraj K (1996) Earthworm: an introduction. Indian council of agricultural research training program; Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore
15. Hand P (1988) Earthworm biotechnology. In: Greenshields R (ed) Resources and application of biotechnology: the new wave. MacMillan Press Ltd, US
16. Hartenstein R, Bisesi MS (1989) Use of earthworm biotechnology for the management of effluents from intensively housed livestock. Outlook Agriculture, vol 18. USA, pp 72-76
17. Hughes RJ, Nair J, Mathew K (2005) The implications of wastewater vermicomposting technologies: on-site treatment systems for sustainable sanitation. WAMDEC conference, Zimbabwe, July 27-30
18. RJ Hughes J Nair K Mathew G Ho 2007 Toxicity of domestic wastewater pH to key earthworm species within an innovative decentralised vermifiltration system Water Sci Technol 55 7 211 218
19. Ireland MP (1983) Heavy metals uptake in earthworms; earthworm ecology. Chapman & Hall, London
20. Kerr M, Stewart AJ (2006) Tolerance test of Elsenia fetida for sodium chloride. US Department of Energy Journal of Undergraduate Research ( http://www.scied.science.doe.gov )
21. Komarowski S (2001) Vermiculture for sewage and water treatment sludges. Water, Publication of Australian Water and Wastewater Association, July, pp 39-43
22. S Markman IA Guschinna S Barnsleya KL Buchanana D Pascoea CT Mullera 2007 Endocrine disrupting chemicals accumulate in earthworms exposed to sewage effluents. Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK J Chemosphere 70 1 119 125
23. Martin JP (1976) Darwin on earthworms: the formation of vegetable moulds. Bookworm Publishing, ISBN 0-916302-06-7
24. Morgan M, Burrows I (1982) Earthworms/microorganisms interactions. Rothamsted Exp. Stn. Rep
25. OECD (2000) Guidelines for testing organic chemicals. Proposal for new guidelines: earthworms reproduction tests (E. fetida andrei). Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ( www.oecd.org )
26. V Pierre R Phillip L Margnerite C Pierrette 1982 Anti-bacterial activity of the haemolytic system from the earthworms Eisinia foetida andrei Invertebrate Pathology 40 21 27
27. BI Roots 1956 The water relation of earthworms; ii. resistance to desiccation & emersion and behavior when submerged and when allowed a choice of environment J Exper Biol 33 29 44
28. H Safawat S Hanna RW Weaver 2002 Earthworms survival in oil contaminated soil J Plant and Soil 240 127 132
29. Satchell JE (1983) Earthworm ecology- from darwin to vermiculture. Chapman and Hall Ltd., London pp 1-5
30. DR Singleton BF Hendrix DC Coleman WB Whitemann 2003 Identification of uncultured bacteria tightly associated with the intestine of the earthworms Lumricus rubellus Soil Bio Biochem 35 1547 1555
31. Sinha RK, Bharambe G (2007) Removal of high BOD and COD loadings of primary liquid waste products from dairy industry by vermifiltration technology using earthworms; Ind J Enviro Prot (IJEP) 27(6):486-501; ISSN 0253-7141; Regd. No. R.N. 40280/83; Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, India
32. Sinha RK, Heart S, Agarwal S, Asadi R, Carretero E (2002) Vermiculture technology for environmental management: study of the action of the earthworms Eisinia foetida, Eudrilus euginae and Perionyx excavatus on biodegradation of some community wastes in India and Australia. The Environmentalist 22(2):261-268
33. Sinha RK, Nair J, Bharambe G, Patil S, Bapat P (2007) Vermiculture revolution: a low-cost & sustainable technology for management of municipal & industrial organic wastes (solid & liquid) by earthworms. Invited Paper by NOVA Science Publishers, NY, USA (Edited book: Waste management: research development & policy)
34. Taylor et al (2003) The treatment of domestic wastewater using small-scale vermicompost filter beds. Ecol Eng 21:197-203
35. UNSW ROU (2002) Best practice guidelines to managing on-site vermiculture technologies. University of New South Wales Recycling Organics Unit, Sydney, NSW, Australia (Viewed on December 2004 www.resource.nsw.gov.au/data/ Vermiculture%20BPG.pdf
36. Xing M, Yang J, Lu Z (2005) Microorganism-earthworm integrated biological treatment process - a sewage treatment option for rural settlements. ICID 21st European regional conference, 15-19 May 2005, Frankfurt; Viewed on 18 April 2006. www.zalf.de/icid/ICID_ERC2005/HTML/ERC2005PDF/Topic_1/Xing.pdf