Recycling of cotton dust for organic farming is a pivotal replacement of chemical fertilizers by composting and its quality analysis

Abstract

Improper management of cotton dust wastes creates environmental pollution as well as different health problems. Cotton dust waste contains important nutrient elements that can meet the need for micronutrients of crop plants that will be a potential replacement of chemical fertilizers. In this study, it was to produce the cotton dust for further utilization as compost plant raw materials and analyzed and compared various parameters in different maturity days. The cotton dust was produced in compost with different combinations with different materials (cotton dust ash, rice bran, rice bran ash, Urea) by composting pit method. It was analyzed for a wide range of parameters including heavy metals and compared with standard compost parameters. The C:N ratio varies from 18:1 to 58:1 within forty days and 17:1 to 37:1 within fifty days and 17:1 to 31:1 within sixty days. The other specification such as physical condition, color, pH, N(%), P(%), K(%), S(%), were within the standard limits. Therefore, the result of the study suggested, for forty, fifty, and sixty days matured compost, samples 1, 3, 4, 5, samples 1, 2, 4, 5, and samples 1, 2, 3, 5 respectively could be used in the agriculture land for cultivation to reduce the harmful effect of chemical fertilizer in the land. The cotton dust samples 2, 3, 4 respectively, for forty, fifty, and sixty days should be avoided for a higher value of the C:N ratio. This information could be beneficial for the practical application of cotton dust in agriculture in Bangladesh and can be a sustainable solution in textile spinning pollution.