Remediation of heavy metals and enhancement of fertilizing potential of a sewage sludge by the synergistic interaction of woodlice and earthworms

Nesa Ahadi; Zahed Sharifi; Sayd M T Hossaini; Amin Rostami; Giancarlo Renella

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121573

Remediation of heavy metals and enhancement of fertilizing potential of a sewage sludge by the synergistic interaction of woodlice and earthworms

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Mar 5:385:121573. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121573. Epub 2019 Nov 5.

Authors

Nesa Ahadi¹, Zahed Sharifi², Sayd M T Hossaini¹, Amin Rostami³, Giancarlo Renella⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran street, 66177-15177, Sanandaj, Iran.
² Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran street, 66177-15177, Sanandaj, Iran. Electronic address: Z.Sharifi@uok.ac.ir.
³ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran street, 66177-15177, Sanandaj, Iran.
⁴ Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro, 35020, Italy.

PMID: 31761649
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121573

Abstract

Woodlice and the earthworm alone or in combination were used to improve physical properties, nutrient release, and heavy metals stabilization during composting of sewage sludge. Chemical properties of raw sludge (IS) were compared to those of composted sludge (CS), sludge + earthworms (VS), sludge + woodlice (WS), and sludge + earthworms + woodlice (VWS) after 50 and 100 days of composting. Physical properties and heavy metals accumulation by the studied fauna was determined after 100 days of composting. Highest proportions of fine particles, porosity and water holding capacity were in the VWS treatment, electrical conductivity, ash content, inorganic N and the total concentrations of P, K, Ca and Mg increased, whereas the pH value, the organic C, C:N ratio and humic acids content decreased in following order: VWS > VC > WS > CS > IS. Total concentrations of Pb, Cd and Ni in composted sludge were lower whereas concentrations of Zn, Cu and Mn were higher than in raw sludge, and woodlice showed higher bioconcentration factor (BCFs) than earthworm for all heavy metals in all treatments. We concluded that woodlice and earthworms synergistically improved the physicochemical properties of the compost and enhanced its potential use as amendment in agricultural soils.

Keywords: Earthworms; Environmental risk; Sewage sludge; Woodlice; Zooremediation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Biodegradation, Environmental*
Environmental Pollutants / metabolism*
Isopoda / metabolism*
Metals, Heavy / metabolism*
Oligochaeta / metabolism*
Sewage / chemistry*

Substances

Environmental Pollutants
Metals, Heavy
Sewage