Rotary drum composter as a low cost method for the removal of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris Trichiura in faecal sludge compost

The aim of the study was to use of rotary drum composter as a low cost method for the removal of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris Trichiura in faecal sludge compost. Two runs of compost experiment (Run 1 and Run 2) were carried out consecutively. Each Run of composting was done in four different rotary drums at real scale using a mixture of faecal sludge and shredded maize cobs and monitored for 12 weeks. Concentration of Ascaris and Trichuris were measured once a week to understand their behaviour. Temperature, Moisture Content and pH were also measured. High concentrations of Ascaris and Trichuris were present in the initial compost mix of both Runs 1 and 2. The concentration of Ascaris and Trichuris respectively in Run 1 ranged from 65–77 eggs/gTS and 30–41 eggs/gTS. In Run 2, measured concentrations of Ascaris and Trichuris ranged from 77–110 eggs/gTS and 46–52 eggs/gTS. After 84 days of composting faecal sludge, Ascaris was removed by a minimum of 82% and Trichuris by a minimum of 88%. The findings showed that plastic composter with paddles performed better compared with the other experiments. This means that the type of composter have a significant impact on the removal of helminth.