Advances in Recycling & Waste Management

Effect of Composting Process, Particle Size and Shaking Time of Livestock Manure on the Adsorption of Cadmium and Nickel

Abstract

Shazia Gul, Nighat Shaheen and Muhammad Irshad*

A study was carried out on the adsorption of heavy metals on particles of composted manure to reduce the associated contamination risk in soils and plants. Therefore, adsorption behavior of Cd and Ni on fine (0.2 mm) and coarse (1 mm) particles of composted manure was investigated in an aqueous solution after 1 h and 2 h shaking time. Manure samples were used after composting for 40 days, 80 days and 120 days. There was also a fresh manure sample. Results showed that the higher adsorption of heavy metal was shown by the manure samples composted for longer days: 120 days>80 days>40 days>fresh manure. Finer manure particles enhanced adsorption of heavy metals than the coarser manure samples. Higher concentrations of Cd and Ni in the solution adsorbed more amount of the metal ion on manure samples. The adsorptive capacity of metals from the respective aqueous solution increased with increasing shaking time. This study indicated that the retention of heavy metals by composted manure from contaminated water may reduce the contamination risk of heavy metals in crops and soil runoff.