Vermifiltration of Food Market Organic Waste for Simultaneous Treatment and Fertilizer Production

Abstract

The management of organic waste generated from food markets presents significant environmental challenges due to rapid biodegradation, odor generation, leachate production, and greenhouse gas emissions. The present study investigates the application of vermifiltration technology for simultaneous treatment of food market organic waste and production of nutrient-rich fertilizer under controlled operating conditions. The research focuses on evaluating organic matter degradation, nutrient stabilization, filtration efficiency, earthworm activity, and fertilizer quality associated with vermifiltration systems. Experimental analysis was conducted to examine the influence of waste composition, moisture content, hydraulic loading rate, aeration conditions, and earthworm density on treatment performance and compost maturation behavior. Results demonstrate that vermifiltration effectively enhances biodegradation of organic waste through the combined action of earthworms and microbial communities, resulting in substantial reduction of organic pollutants, suspended solids, and odor-causing compounds. The study further reveals that optimized moisture and aeration conditions significantly improve earthworm survival, microbial activity, and nutrient mineralization processes, thereby accelerating waste stabilization and fertilizer formation. Nutrient analysis of the final vermicompost product indicated elevated concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium suitable for agricultural soil amendment applications. Comparative assessment with conventional composting and waste treatment methods confirms the advantages of vermifiltration, including lower energy consumption, reduced waste volume, and simultaneous generation of value-added organic fertilizer.