Vermiremediation and detoxification of sugar beet pulp waste using Allium cepa bioassay

Abstract

In the present study, sugar beet pulp (SBP) was subjected to bioconversion by earthworm Eisenia fetida in a vermicomposting process. SBP and cattle dung were mixed in different ratios of 0:100 (SBP₀) 10:90 (SBP₁₀), 20:80 (SBP₂₀), 40:60 (SBP₄₀) and 80:20 (SBP₈₀). Allium cepa L. genotoxicity bioassay test was used to check the reduction of toxicity of waste during vermicomposting. The results revealed the increase in the root length and mitotic index (MI) values of final vermicomposted mixtures. The maximum root length (cm) and MI (%) values were found in the final feed mixtures of SBP₀ (control) (7.52 ± 0.33 cm) and SBP₁₀ (16.7 ± 0.29%) concentrations, respectively. The vermicomposted feed mixtures of sugar beet pulp showed 34–62% reduction in the chromosomal aberrations with maximum decline (62.0%) in SBP₂₀ concentration. The study indicated that the earthworms have the potential to minimize the toxicity of SBP waste. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of SBP₄₀ feed mixture revealed that the final product was more fragmented and scattered in nature than the initial raw waste.

Keywords

Cattle dung / Sugar mill / Toxicology / Vermicompost / Waste

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