Nutrient recovery and changes in enzyme activity during vermicomposting of hydrolysed chicken feather residue

0563913 - ÚCHP 2025 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Dume, B. - Hanč, A. - Švehla, P. - Michal, P. - Šolcová, Olga - Chane, A.D. - Nigussie, A.
Nutrient recovery and changes in enzyme activity during vermicomposting of hydrolysed chicken feather residue.
Environmental Technology. NOV 2022 (2022). ISSN 0959-3330. E-ISSN 1479-487X
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TN01000048
Institutional support: RVO:67985858
Keywords : eisenia andrei * vermicompost * hydrolysis * nutrients
OECD category: Chemical process engineering
Impact factor: 2.8, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/09593330.2022.2147451?needAccess=true&role=button

Chicken feathers are hazardous to the environment because of their poor digestibility and potential as a source of environmental contaminants. However, this waste contains valuable plant nutrients that can be recovered and used to improve soil fertility and agricultural productivity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate how effective vermicomposting is at recovering nutrients and changes in enzymatic activity during vermicomposting of hydrolysed chicken feather residues (HCFR). The study included four treatments with three replications at different HCFR and pelletized wheat straw (PWS) mixing proportions: (T1) 25% HCFR + 75% PWS with earthworms, (T2) 25% HCFR + 75% PWS without earthworms, (T3) 50% HCFR + 50% PWS with earthworms, and (T4) 50% HCFR + 50% PWS (w/w) without earthworms. Eisenia andrei was used in the experiment for 120 days. Earthworm treatments recovered more available plant nutrients than non-earthworm treatments by 14% N-NO3- (T1), 50% K (T3), 47% Mg (T3), 75% P (T3), 55% B (T3), 34% Cu (T3), 40% Fe (T1), 46% Mn (T3), 11% Zn (T1). However, N-NH4+ was significantly reduced by -80% (T1). Acid phosphatase, arylsulphatase, alanine aminopeptidase, and leucine aminopeptidase were more active in the treatments with earthworms and positively correlated with P and C: N ratio. Alanine aminopeptidase (3752 µmol AMCA.g-1.h-1) and leucine aminopeptidase (4252 µmol AMCL.g-1.h-1) had higher activities in T3 on day 60 of vermicomposting. As a result, the earthworm treatment recovers more plant nutrients than the non-earthworm treatments, and it can be recommended as a better vermicomposting approach for nutrient recovery from HCFR.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0335696