ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Vermicomposting of Cis-1.4-Polybutadiene Rubber
(Br) through Culturing Dense Populations of the
Californian Redworm (Eisenia foetida Sav.)
Małgorzata Anna Jóźwiak1, Przemysław Rybiński1, Marek Jóźwiak1,
Grażyna Janowska2
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1Management of Environmental Protection and Modeling, Jan Kochanowski University,
Świętokrzyska 15, Kielce, Poland
2Institute of Polymer and Dye Technology, Technical University of Łódź,
Stefanowskiego 12, Łódź, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(4):893-899
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
One of the biomethods for organic waste utilization is the vermicomposting process, that is run with the
use of dense populations of the Californian redworm (Eisenia foetida), whose role in the processes of prevention
of soil degradation and organic waste recycling is well known. In recent years, shredded material from
car tyres has been used more and more frequently for the hardening and filling of road embankments, which
poses a hazard to the soil environment.
Our paper attempts to demonstrate opportunities for the use of the red California hybrid (Eisenia foetida
Sav.) in the bioutilization process of cis-1.4-polybutadiene rubber (BR) vulcanizate, which is a major component
of car tyres. The basis for the study was a culture of Eisenia foetida on various beddings run over six
months, as well as chemical and microscopic analyses using the Quanta 250 scanning electron microscope.
The study has shown that the red California hybrid (Eisenia foetida Sav.) may be used in the bioutilization
process of cis-1.4-polybutadiene rubber (BR) vulcanizate. Following the introduction of the butadiene rubber
vulcanizate into the soil with the Californian hybrid, its complete decomposition occurs due to the redworm’s
trophic activity.