Article Title :
Effect of Wastewater on the Soil and Irrigation Process: A Laboratory Study
1 (2017)
46-55
Heavy Metals , Daily Metal Intake , Enrichment factor , Wastewater
Most of the industrial sewage effluents used for irrigation contains heavy metals which cause toxicity to crop plants as the soils are able to accumulate heavy metal for many years. The vegetables grown for the present study were irrigated with treated wastewater brought from a nearby full-scale sewage treatment plant at different compositions along with tap water as a control. The concentration levels of the Cd, Co, Cu, Mn and Zn in the soil were found to below the toxic limits as prescribed in literature. Daily Intake Metals (DIM) values suggest that the consumption of plants grown in treated wastewater and tap water is nearly free of risks, as the dietary intake limits of Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn. The Enrichment Factor for the treated wastewater irrigated soil was found in order Zn> Ni> Pb> Cr> Cu> Co> Mn> Cd. Thus, treated wastewater can be effectively used for irrigation. This will have twofold significant environmental advantages: (1) helpful to reduce the groundwater usage for irrigation and (2) helpful to reduce the stress on surface water resources.
Concentration of the Cd, Co, Cu, Mn and Zn in the soil was found to below the toxic limits.
Soil and plant growth in wastewater is free from risk.
Water used for irrigation can be replaced by wastewater containing these heavy metals.
Soil enrichment factor is maximum value for Zn and minimum value for Cd.
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