Effect on heavy metals concentration from vermiconversion of agro-waste mixed with landfill leachate

• Removal of Cr, Cd and Pb up to 99.8% in landfill leachate mixed with agro-waste via vermiconversion process.
• Increment of Cu and Zn (micronutrients) were due to dual effects of excretion period and mineralisation.
• Earthworms’ biomass and number increase up to 15.4% during vermiconversion process supplemented with landfill leachate.

Spent Pleurotus sajor-caju compost mixed with livestock excreta, i.e. cow dung or goat manure, was contaminated with landfill leachate and vermiremediated in 75 days. Results showed an extreme decrease of heavy metals, i.e. Cd, Cr and Pb up to 99.81% removal as effect of vermiconversion process employing epigeic earthworms i.e. Lumbricus rubellus. In addition, there were increments of Cu and Zn from 15.01% to 85.63%, which was expected as non-accumulative in L. rubellus and secreted out as contained in vermicompost. This phenomenon is due to dual effects of heavy metal excretion period and mineralisation. Nonetheless, the increments were 50-fold below the limit set by EU and USA compost limits and the Malaysian Recommended Site Screening Levels for Contaminated Land (SSLs). Moreover, the vermicompost C:N ratio range is 20.65–22.93 and it can be an advantageous tool to revitalise insalubrious soil by acting as soil stabiliser or conditioner.