Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman
Abstract
Increase in the world population has increased demand for water. Sewage has been used in different countries in agriculture and landscape irrigation. Its high nutrient load increases crop yields and reduces the need for costly fertilizer inputs. But, concentration of heavy metals in agricultural products irrigated by sewage is a cause of serious concern due to potential health problems of contaminated products. In this research, a pistachio orchard in the lands of Shahid Bahonar University in Kerman, Iran, was irrigated with treated sewage and different parameters and data were collected. Results showed that heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn were absorbed by pistachio roots and transported to other organs, tissues, and fruits. The amount of Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn in pistachio fruits irrigated with sewage was higher than ATSDR standards, which means that this practice may cause health problems for consumers and could put the environment at risk. One possible solution for sewage usage can be mixing it with irrigation water in different ratios, as was done in this research.
Keywords
- ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), 1993. Toxicological Profile for Cadmium Atlanta. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
- Bouldin, D.R., 1997. Why guidelines for beneficial use of sluges are different and estimates of alternatives. Soil Science Society of North Carolina Proceedings, Vol. XXXX.
- Bradford, A., Brook, R. and Hunshal, C., 2003. Wastewater irrigation. Inter. Symp.on Water, Poverty and Productive. 21-23 Jan. Muldersdrift, South Africa.
- Carrillo, G.R. and Cajuste, L. J., 1992. Heavy metals in soils and alfalfa irrigated with three sources of wastewater. Envir. Sci. and Health J., Part-A – Envir. Sci and Eng.27(7):1771-1783.
- Elsokkary, T. H. and Sharaf, A. I., 1990. Enrichment of soils and plant irrigated by wastewater by zinc and cadmium. Egyptian J. of Soil Sci. 36(1-4)219-232.
- Fosmire, G., Zinc Toxicity. Am. J.Clin. Nutr. 51:225-227. 1996.
- Giusquiani, P. L., Maruchini, C. and Busineli, M., 1998. Chemical properties of soil amended with compost of urban waste, Plant Soil 109:73-79,
- Hallmark W. B., Brown, L. P., Viator, H. P., Habetz, R. J., Caldwell, W. D. and Cook,C.G., Kenaf: 1994. A new crop for Louisiana. Louisiana Agr.37(2).
- Lumsden, R. D., Lewis, J. A., and Millner, P.D., 1983. Effect of composted sewage sludge on several soil bron pathogens and disease. Phytopathology 73:1543-1548.
- Mays, D. A., and Girodano, P. M., 1988. Benefits from land application of municipal sewage sludge. Circ.Z-238. TVA, Nat. Ferti. Devep. Cent. Muscle Shoals, Al.
- Meani, A. T., Al-Juburi, J. S., and Al- Hamadany, R. H., 1993. Effect of irrigation with wastewater on some micronutrients and heavy metals levels in calcareous soil Mijalat Zire Mesopotamia Journal of Agric., Iraq,25(4)27-35.
- Nriagu, J. O. and Pacyna, J. M., 1988. Quantitative assessment of wordwide contamination of air, water and soil by trace metals. Nature, 33:134-9.
- Panaras, A. and Evgenidis, G., Corn irrigation with reclaimed municipal wastewater. Global Nest. The Int. J. 5: 3945, 2003.
- Samaras, B. and C. D. Tsadials., 1999. Recycling municipal wastes in agriculture. I: Sludge application to corn crop. R’99 Congress (Recovering, Recycling, Re- integration) (enironmental--expert. com/even/r2000/r2000htm.
- Sharma, R. K., Agrawal, M. and Marshall, F., 2007. Heavy metal concentration of soil and vegetables in suburban areas of Varanasi, India and Enviro. Safety 66: 258-266.
- Shuval, H. I., Yekutial, p., and Fattal, B., 1985. Epidemiological evidence for Helminthand Cholera Transmission by vegetable irrigated with wastewater. Jerusalem – case study, Water Sci Techn.,1,4/5,433.
- Tsadalis, C. D., 1999. Recycling municipal wastewater. R’99 Congress (ecovering, Recycling, Re-integration) (www.environmental--expert. com/events/r2000/r2000htm).
)