Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Hamidreza Pourzamani ¹
• Mohammad Ghavi ²

¹ Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

² Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan; Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Aims: The present study was carried out to evaluate the production of eco-friendly and environmentally bio-fertilizer from a mixture of food waste (FW) and rice bran (RB). Materials and Methods: The various mixtures of RB and FW (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:5) were prepared and spread in Diy beds for 20 days. After that, the raw compost was poured in four containers beds contains 100 adult earthworms Eisenia foetida for 30 days. Physical and chemical parameters including temperature, humidity, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and pH were monitored. Results: The obtained results showed that at the first of composting process, the temperature was sharply increased and after that dropped and reached to the ambient temperature. The C/N ratio was decreased in studied Diy beds during preparing and vermicompost processes. The averages of C/N ratios in the raw FW and RB at mixing ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:5 were 45.35, 38.43, 35.3, and 32.11, respectively. The C/N ratios in the vermicompost were reduced to 20.85, 18.3, 16.86, and 15.16, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that composting and vermicomposting process can be used as a potential tool for bio convert rice bran and food waste. However, it is suggested that the rice bran can be amended with food waste to ensure better quality of vermicompost.

Keywords

• Composting
• Eisenia foetida
• food waste
• rice bran
• vermicomposting