Converting wasteland into wonderland by earthworms—a low-cost nature’s technology for soil remediation: a case study of vermiremediation of PAHs contaminated soil

Earthworms in general are tolerant to many chemical contaminants including heavy metals and organic pollutants in soil and can bio-accumulate them in their tissues. Earthworms species like Eisenia fetida, Eisenia tetraedra, Lumbricus terrestris, Lumbricus rubellus and Allobophora chlorotica have been found to remove heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Hg, etc.) pesticides and lipophilic organic micropollutants like the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from the soil. They ‘absorb’ the dissolved chemicals through the moist ‘body wall’ in the interstitial water and also ‘ingest’ by mouth while the soil passes through the gut. They either ‘bio-transform’ or ‘biodegrade’ the chemical contaminants rendering them harmless in their bodies. Meanwhile the quality of the soil is improved significantly in terms of physical, chemical and biological properties as the worms thoroughly upturn and disperse the soil, ingest large volumes of soil and excrete nutritive materials (NKP and micronutrients) in the form of ‘vermicasts’ along with millions of beneficial soil microbes including nitrogen fixers.     

复合床生态滤池处理城市污水中试研究

复合床生态滤池(MMEEF)是利用由微生物和蚯蚓为代表的微型动物共同组成的人工生态系统,是对城镇污水中的污染物进行降解处理的新型污水处理技术.滤床由植物性填料层和惰性填料层组成.复合床生态滤池处理初沉池出水,水力负荷为2 0m3·m-2·d-1,出水SS小于5mg·L-1,CODCr去除率为74%～87%,NH 4 N去除率为30%～50%,TN去除率为25%～40%,TP去除率为40%～57%.水力负荷降低,NH 4 N去除率和硝酸根浓度的增加量4 N去除率增加,硝酸根浓度增加,NH 与碱度减少量成正相关.惰性颗粒层在硝化方面起着主要作用,蚯蚓对生态滤池的正常运行有重要作用.