CAPABILITY OF EARTH WORM (EISENIA FETIDA) IN PROCESSING OF HOUSEHOLD WASTES TO VERMICOMPOST

In this research household herbal wastes transformed to compost by Eisenia foetida earth worm within 3 months. For this reason, first all herbal wastes were studied in term of Bacteria, parasites, heavy metals and herbal nutrient elements, namely Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P.) and potassium (K.). Then, 3 samples of herbal wastes were selected from different points of compost pits with different dimensions, transported to laboratory, and were analysed. Finally, after compost processing within 3 months, sampling was repeated again and results showed raised herbal nutrient element and improvement ratio of C/N, from 29.5 up to 14.5 and substantial reduction in heavy metals, particularly chrome (Cr), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) in riped compost. In this experiment, Mean and S.D. of measured was criteria calculated by SPSS software and Mean & S.D. of initial herbal wastes and processed compost (Vermicompost) also compared by statistical Mann- Whitney. Staisdical test. The number of earthworms increased from 5000 – in the beginning of the experiment – fo 13000 during 3 months of compost processing. Electric conductivity (EC) raised from 1813.33 µs/cn in the initial herbal wastes to 907.33 µs/cn in vermicompost. which shows less salinity in processed compost. It is reported that some salts came be removed by Eisenia foetida during compost processing.