Pollution Research Paper

Vol 39, Feb Suppl. Issue, 2020; Page No.(154-160)

BIOREMEDIATION OF TEMPLE WASTES (NIRMALAYA) BY EMPLOYING EUDRILUS EUGENIAE

USHA B., K. VASANTHI1 AND ESAIVANI C.

Abstract

In India, million tons of temple waste (nirmalya) is produced every day. The waste collected from temple mainly consists of flowers, leaves, fruits, honey, coconuts, camphor, jaggery, is released in the water bodies or dumped at the available land spaces, thereby leading to severe environmental pollution and health hazards. Bio remediation of nirmalya can be carried out by vermicomposting. In the present study a successful attempt was made to convert temple waste intovermicompost. The temple waste was mixed with cow dung in two different proportions (1:1 and2:1) to make it suitable for culture of selected earthworm, Eudriluseugeniae and detailed experiments were conducted in plastic containers. In our work the nirmalya was taken from a temple in South Tenkasi, which was pre-composted at 26oC and used as a substrate for vermicomposting by earthworm species Eudriluseugeniae for 60 days. The chemical analysis of the vermicompost showed its pH (7.26), the organic carbon content (14.51%), N (57.6%), total P (47.8%),K (1.24%), C: N ratio (11.65) and also contained sufficient concentration of macro elements like calcium, magnesium and sulphur. The cocoon production and growth rate ( biomass gain worm -1day -1) were maximum in T1 mixture containing temple waste and cow dung in (1:1) ratio followed by T2 and TO respectively. Results of the study are highly encouraging and is concluded that the temple waste can be managed, through vermicomposting in an eco-friendly manner by mixing equal ratio of cow dung.