TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring chemical analysis of vermicompost of various oil palm fibre wastes
AU - Nahrul Hayawin, Z.
AU - Abdul Khalil, H. P.S.
AU - Jawaid, M.
AU - Hakimi Ibrahim, M.
AU - Astimar, A. A.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The aim of this work was to study the physical and chemical properties of different oil palm wastes, viz. empty fruit bunch (EFB), oil palm frond (OPF) and oil palm trunk (OPT). A study (84 days duration) was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of an exotic earthworm species (epigeic-African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus euginae)) for the decomposition of different types of oil palm wastes (EFB, OPT and OPF) into valuable vermicompost. The decrease in earthworm's biomass gain for EFB, OPT and OPF may be due to exhaustion of worm feed in vermicomposters. The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in vermicompost was found to increase while pH and total organic carbon declined as a function of the vermicomposting period. The vermicompost obtained showed an increase in heavy metal content for all the reactors, but levels were still in the range of nutrient in the vermicompost. The data reveal that vermicomposting (using African Nightcrawler) is a suitable technology for the decomposition of oil palm wastes, especially EFB into value-added material.
AB - The aim of this work was to study the physical and chemical properties of different oil palm wastes, viz. empty fruit bunch (EFB), oil palm frond (OPF) and oil palm trunk (OPT). A study (84 days duration) was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of an exotic earthworm species (epigeic-African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus euginae)) for the decomposition of different types of oil palm wastes (EFB, OPT and OPF) into valuable vermicompost. The decrease in earthworm's biomass gain for EFB, OPT and OPF may be due to exhaustion of worm feed in vermicomposters. The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in vermicompost was found to increase while pH and total organic carbon declined as a function of the vermicomposting period. The vermicompost obtained showed an increase in heavy metal content for all the reactors, but levels were still in the range of nutrient in the vermicompost. The data reveal that vermicomposting (using African Nightcrawler) is a suitable technology for the decomposition of oil palm wastes, especially EFB into value-added material.
KW - African nightcrawler
KW - Heavy metal
KW - Oil palm wastes
KW - Vermicomposting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955769545&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77955769545&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10669-010-9274-9
DO - 10.1007/s10669-010-9274-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77955769545
SN - 0251-1088
VL - 30
SP - 273
EP - 278
JO - Environmentalist
JF - Environmentalist
IS - 3
ER -