Generation of Electric Potential from Vermicomposted Fruit Waste

Vermicomposting is the process of converting organic wastes into valuable organic fertilizer by earthworms. Vermicompost is rich in metal ions and has the potential to be used as an electrolyte. The main aim of this investigation is to explore the potential of earthworms to convert the fruit waste into high quality vermicompost which can serve as a solution to solid waste management issues and act as an environment friendly electrolyte for a cell. The present study has been carried out to identify the macro and micro nutrients, physicochemical parameters and the electrical potential of fruit waste by employing exotic earthworm species, Eudrilus eugeniae. The fruit waste is mixed with soil and allowed for pre-composting for 20 days and earthworms are introduced for vermicomposting for 30 days. The macronutrients (N, P, and K) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn) showed elevated levels in the vermicompost compared to control. The physicochemical parameters of vermicompost namely moisture content exhibited higher levels and pH of vermicompost was nearly acidic. Voltage was measured using copper and zinc plates as electrodes and vermicompost as electrolyte. The lead wired was connected to electrodes, multimeter and LED device in series circuit and the ions in the vermicompost could light up the Light-Emitting Diode (LED) device. The present study reveals that the vermicomposting technique can be used to generate electrical energy from biodegradable waste.