Nature Environment and Pollution Technology (Sep 2023)

Influence of Vermicomposted Coal Fly Ash on Morphological and Cytological Attributes of Ricinus communis L.

  • R. U. Raval, D. B. Kapdi, N. H. Bhavsar, V. V. Surati, J. D. Solanki, S. R. Panjabi, P. M. Patel, Y. H. Vaidya, D. N. Verma and K. P. Patel

DOI
https://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2023.v22i03.041
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 3
pp. 1555 – 1562

Abstract

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In view of the environmental problems generated by the large-scale production of fly ash, increasing attention is now being paid to the recycling of fly ash as a good source of nutrients. To reduce the cost of fly ash disposal and best utilization, it aimed to convert the fly ash into valuable vermicompost. Stated throughout the experiment, we opted for a soil sample and fly ash and pressed with different concentrations (control, 20%, 50%, 80% and 100%). Subsequently, all the mixtures were vermicomposted for 60 days by adding 100 Earthworms (Eisenia foetida) in each pile. The X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy measured the composition of the metal in fly ash as well as the nutritional content in the soil. This is followed by examining the morphological characteristics and cytogenetic study of Ricinus communis L. The present study indicated that E. foetida mitigates the toxicity of fly ash and is hence used as valuable vermicompost.

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