Use of secondary treated efluents by biological processes (stabilization pond systems and UASB reactor/activated sludge process) in agricultural soils

• Grant number: 04/14315-4
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2005 - September 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Adolpho José Melfi
• Grantee: Adolpho José Melfi
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Célia Regina Montes
• Associated scholarship(s): 08/07371-6 - Gypsum in reclamation of soil impacted by irrigation with treated sewage effluent and in production and mineral nutrition of sugar cane, BP.DR; 08/03125-0 - Multiple barriers on treated effluent soil disposal and application of hazard analysis and critical control points on agriculture reuse, BP.PD

Abstract

The rational use of water resources is nowadays one of the main concerns worldwide involving political, technological and environmental aspects. In many parts of the world, the increasing demand and, especially in arid regions the natural scarcity of water has stimulated researches concerning the feasible utilization of wastewater. Within human activities, common agricultural irrigation represents doubtlessly one of the most consumptive practice of natural water resources. One alternative to solve and to minimize this high water consumption constitutes the reuse of residual water (effluents) generated by biological sewage treatment systems. The increasing agricultural affairs in Brazil and especially in São Paulo State, combined with the fact, that sewage treatment systems generate high amounts of effluents, reveals the great potential of using treated sewage efl1uents for irrigation, and to minimize the use of potable water. Thus, the present thematic project, involving a multidisciplinary research team of different institutions in São Paulo State, aims at investigating the sustainable utilization of secondary treated sewage effluents, disinfected through chlorination and ultraviolet radiation, in Agriculture. For this purpose, effluents of different physical-chemical characteristics, produced by stabilization pond systems and by the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) followed by of activated sludge process are utilized. After application to the soil, effects on the soil-plant-water system will be monitored. To understand the dynamics of the soil-plant-water system detailed studies will be carried out to 1) characterize soils hydrodynamics functioning, soil soIution dynamics and evaluate the soil capacity for element retention; 2) monitor nutrients and other elements in the treated sewage efl1uents and evaluate the efficiency for nutrient supply, especially for nitrogen; 3) observe changes of principal physical and chemical soil properties doe to irrigation; 4) characterize organic matter originating from secondary treated effluents, evaluate its impact on the soil element dynamics and simulate the dynamics using mathematical modeling; 5) evaluate the effect of secondary treated effluents on soil microbial biomass and its metabolic activity; 6) evaluate the nutritional status of plants and the benefit on plant dry matter production. Moreover, the sustainability of the system depends on sanitary, technical and economical aspects... (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CUTOLO, SILVANA A.; PIVELI, ROQUE P.; SANTOS, JEFERSON G.; MONTES, CELIA R.; SUNDEFELD, GILBERTO; CAMPOS, FABIO; GOMES, TAMARA M.; MELFI, ADOLPHO J.. Parasitological risk assessment from wastewater reuse for disposal in soil in developing countries. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, v. 65, n. 8, p. 1357-1367, 2012. (04/14315-4, 08/03125-0)

PEREIRA, B. F. F.; HE, Z. L.; SILVA, M. S.; HERPIN, U.; NOGUEIRA, S. F.; MONTES, C. R.; MELFI, A. J.. Reclaimed wastewater: Impact on soil-plant system under tropical conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, v. 192, n. 1, p. 54-61, AUG 15 2011. (04/14315-4)

PEREIRA LEAL, RAFAEL MARQUES; HERPIN, UWE; DA FONSECA, ADRIEL FERREIRA; FIRME, LILIAN PITTOL; MONTES, CELIA REGINA; MELFI, ADOLPHO JOSE. Sodicity and salinity in a Brazilian Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane irrigated with wastewater. Agricultural Water Management, v. 96, n. 2, p. 307-316, Feb. 2009. (04/14315-4)

NOGUEIRA, S. F.; PEREIRA, B. F. F.; GOMES, T. M.; DE PAULA, A. M.; DOS SANTOS, J. A.; MONTES, C. R.. Treated sewage effluent: Agronomical and economical aspects on bermudagrass production. Agricultural Water Management, v. 116, p. 151-159, JAN 1 2013. (04/14315-4)

DOS SANTOS, CLEBER H.; ROMANO, RENAN A.; NICOLODELLI, GUSTAVO; CARVALHO, CAMILA M.; VILLAS-BOAS, PAULINO R.; MARTIN-NETO, LADISLAU; MONTES, CELIA R.; MELFI, ADOLPHO J.; MILORI, DEBORA M. B. P.. Performance Evaluation of a Portable Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy System for the Assessment of the Humification Degree of the Soil Organic Matter. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, v. 26, n. 4, p. 775-783, APR 2015. (04/14315-4)

SKARLATOS, D.; KALAVROUZIOTIS, I. K.; MONTES, C. R.; MELFI, A. J.; PEREIRA, B. F. F.. Wastewater reuse in citrus: a fuzzy logic model for optimum evapotranspiration. Desalination and Water Treatment, v. 55, n. 2, p. 315-324, JUL 10 2015. (04/14315-4)