School of Engineering and Technology

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://cris.hit.ac.zw/handle/123456789/1

This community contains the ePrints and eTheses of the School of Engineering and technology staff and students

Browse

Filters

20138

Settings

Author: search.filters.author.Phiri, Anthony

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Vermicomposting in Solid Waste Management: A Review
    (International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology, 2013-12-01) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Phiri, Anthony
    Vermicomposting is a bio-conversion process which is widely being used for solid waste management. In this bio-conversion process, earthworms feed on the organic waste to produce more earthworms, vermicompost and vermiwash as products. Earthworms which include Megascolex Mauritii, Eisenia Fetida, Eudrilus Eugeniae, Perionnyx Excavatus, Lampito Mauritii, Eisenia Andrei, Lampito Rubellus and Drawida Willis have been widely used for vermicomposting. Vermicomposting has been done for various wastes including animal, plant, pharmaceutical, food waste and sewage waste over vermicomposting periods ranging from 28-120 days using these earthworms. The process conditions during vermicomposting ranged from 18- 67°C for temperature, pH 5.9-8.3 and moisture content 10.6-80%. Vermicompost yields of 30-50% have been achieved for various organic wastes and composting periods. The vermicompost and vermiwash produced were rich in nitrogen,phosphorous and potassium (NPK). The vermicompost obtained had NPK compositions ranging from 0.3-4.19%, 0.2- 1.6% and 0.2-6.18% respectively. The vermiwash obtained had NPK composition ranging from 0.14-1.58%, 0.05-7.53% and 0.47-1.26% respectively. Vermicompost and vermiwash have been applied on cow pea, soy bean, maize and marigold as bio-fertilizers. Vermicomposting can be used for solid waste management and the production of bio-fertilizers
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of Vermicompost on Lettuce Cultivated Soil
    (International Journal of Inventive Engineering and Sciences (IJIES), 2013-10-02) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Mudamburi, T; Phiri, Anthony; Muredzi, Perkins
    — Vermicomposting is an environmentally friendly technique that is used for organic solid waste management. Waste corn pulp blended with cow dung and office paper was vermicomposted over 30 days to produce vermicompost which is a bio-fertilizer. The vermicompost was applied to soil cultivated with lettuce at the planting and after every four weeks. The impact of vermicompost on the soil was quantified. Application of vermicompost resulted in a 5%, 21.7%, 16.9% and 4.92% increase in soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorous and manganese content respectively. Application of the vermicompost also resulted in a 9.41% and 3.77% decrease in soil electrical conductivity and potassium content respectively. However, application of vermicompost did not alter the copper and zinc content of the lettuce cultivated soil. The lettuce showed vigor and vitality during the period of growth. Vermicompost can be used for sustainable agriculture practices
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effective Separation of Vermicasts fromEarthworms Using a Cylindrical Rotary Trommel Separator
    (International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 2013-08-02) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Phiri, Anthony
    Vermicomposting technology is widely being used worldwide as a solid waste management strategy. During vermicomposting Eisenia fetida earthworms ingest the solid organic waste and after a bioconversion process it is expelled as vermicasts. These vermicasts can be used as solid bio-fertilizers; however there are challenges of separating the earthworms from the vermicasts after vermicomposting. Pilot studies were therefore done using a cylindrical rotary trommel screen separator prototype to efficiently separate the earthworms from the vermicasts. The vermicasts were obtained from vermicomposting waste corn pulp mixed with cow dung manure and waste office paper. The cylindrical rotary screen had a mesh size of 4 mm, length of 250 mm and diameter of 90 mm. A throughput of 1.3 m3 /hr comprising of vermicasts and earthworms with a moisture content of 40-60% was separated trommel screen rotational speeds of 30-70rpm. The vermicasts separation efficient was around 80-95% but optimum separation of 95% was achieved at 40% moisture content and trommel screen rotational speed of 50rpm. Using a mechanical trommel screen separator increased the separation of vermicasts and earthworms, hence making the vermicomposting technology ideal.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of Vermicompost, Vermiwash and Application Time on Soil Physicochemical Properties
    (International Journal of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 2013-08-01) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Chitambwe, Trymore; Phiri, Anthony; Muredzi, Perkins; Kanhukamwe, Quinton
    Vermicomposting results in the production of two bio-fertilizers, vermicompost and vermiwash. The bio-fertilizers were applied to 4kg of loam-clay soil over a period of 40 days. The effect of the vermicompost, vermiwash, application time and their combined effect on soil pH, electrical conductivity and nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content were analyzed. Increasing the vermicompost quantity decreased the soil pH, electrical conductivity and nitrogen content, however, this resulted in a slight increase in the phosphorous content but the potassium content remained unaltered. Increasing the vermiwash quantity increased the soil pH, electrical conductivity and potassium content but resulted in reduced nitrogen and phosphorous content. In addition, increasing the application period of either the vermicompost or the vermiwash resulted in increased soil pH, electrical conductivity, phosphorous and potassium content but resulted in reduced phosphorous content. The reduction of the soil nitrogen content is attributed to de-nitrification, whilst the increase in phosphorous content is attributed to increase in soluble phosphates and release of nutrients into the soil due to microbial activity in the bio-fertilizers. Furthermore, loam-clay soils have good absorbing properties for potassium. The soil properties and micro-organisms present in the bio-fertilizers play a critical role on the modification of the soil physicochemical properties
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of Vermicompost, Vermiwash and Application Time on Soil Micronutrients Composition
    (International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT), 2013-06-03) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Phiri, Anthony; Muredzi, Perkins
    Vermicomposting is increasingly becoming popular as an organic solid waste management strategy. The technology results in two bio-fertilizers, vermicompost and vermiwash. The bio-fertilizers were applied to the soil and their impact on the soil micronutrients time was quantified. A maximum of 1000g of vermicompost and vermiwash was applied over 40 days. 23 factorial designs were used to determine the effects of the bio-fertilizers and application time on the soil micronutrients. Increasing the vermicompost quantity resulted in increased soil zinc, manganese and iron content. Increased vermiwash quantities resulted in increased soil iron content but resulted in decreased copper content. Furthermore, increased application time of the two bio-fertilizers resulted in enhanced soil copper and iron content but decreased the zinc and manganese content. The loam-clay soil, organic material from the bio-fertilizers and microbial activity played a significant role in altering the soil micronutrients.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Design of a waste management model using integrated solid waste management: A case of Bulawayo City Council
    (International Journal of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, 2013-01-21) Mwanza, Bupe; Phiri, Anthony
    The purpose of this research paper was to design a waste management model for Bulawayo City Council (BCC) based on integrated solid waste management system. The increasing solid waste generation in the city of Bulawayo is evidenced by increased number of illegal dumping of waste in the urban communities. In this paper, a model that identifies cost-effective and efficient combinations of scientific and engineering tools to manage solid waste and also incorporating the key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics for solid waste management services has been designed. Literature on different types of waste management models, quantitative analysis of waste at Ross camp, direct observations made in the city locations and policy documents of the Zimbabwean Government (EMA acts), founded the development of this model. The design shows a clear depiction of the environmental management acts (EMA) and the municipality by-laws. Performance measurement which is very critical in waste management has been incorporated. Model design focus was on waste type which is a determinant of the waste receptacles, collection, transportation and disposal methods have therefore been depicted in the model. The model provides easy access to data for the formation and implementation of effective solid waste management policies, strategies and programs to achieve sustainable waste management.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Continuous flow-through vermireactor for medium scale vermicomposting
    (Asian Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2013-04-01) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Chitambwe, Trymore; Chigumo, Michelle T. C.; Phiri, Anthony; Muredzi, Perkins; Kanhukamwe, Quinton
    Vermicomposting is increasingly becoming popular as an organic waste management technology whereby earthworms feed on the organic waste to produce vermicasts and vermiwash. Several vermireactors have been used for this process as batch systems. However, there is need to design a continuous flow-through vermireactor which allows the simultaneous addition of the organic waste at the same time harvesting the vermicasts. A 5m X 2m X 1.5m vermireactor was proposed to process an initial feed of 7 500kg. A 10cm thick bedding comprising of office paper, card board paper and Eisenia fetida earthworms stocked at 1kg/m2 of the vermireactor was used as an initial bedding. The feed bed was 20cm thick and comprised of paper, cow dung, corn pulp and vegetables. The pH, temperature and moisture content in the vermireactor ranged between 5.5-7.5, 19-25°C and 28-52% respectively. 7kg/day of vermicasts were produced given the earthworms produced 75% of their bodyweight as vermicasts per day. The caked vermicasts were expelled by the aid of a breaker bar. The vermireactor was constructed from polyvinyl chloride. Vermicasts containing nitrogen (4.19%), phosphorous(1.15%) and potassium (6.18%) were obtained. The continuous flow-through vermireactor design allowed the production of stable vermicasts and can be used in medium scale vermicomposting.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Bio-conversion of Food Wastes into Vermicompost and Vermiwash
    (International Journal of Science and Modern Engineering (IJISME), 2013-09-10) Manyuchi, Mercy; Phiri, Anthony; Muredzi, Perkins; Chirinda, Ngoni
    Vermicomposting technology is the bio-conversion of organic waste into bio-fertilizers using earthworms. Vermicomposting is widely being used for solid waste management. Various food wastes were vermicomposted over 30 days using Eisenia fetida earthworms. Vermicompost and vermiwash were obtained as vermi-products. The vermicompost nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium composition was 2.1%, 0.29% and 0.19% respectively. Whereas, the vermiwash only contained 0.58% nitrogen and 0.47% potassium. Vermicomposting technology is necessary as a food wastes management strategy.