Reclaimed wastewater: Impact on soil-plant system under tropical conditions

Author(s)

Pereira, B. F. F. ^{[1, 2]} ; He, Z. L. ^[1] ; Silva, M. S. ^[3] ; Herpin, U. ^[2] ; Nogueira, S. F. ^{[2, 4]} ; Montes, C. R. ^[5] ; Melfi, A. J. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Florida, Inst Food & Agr Sci, Indian River Res & Educ Ctr, Ft Pierce, FL 34945 - USA

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Res Ctr Geochem & Geophys Lithosphere, BR-13418900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Hydraul Engn & Sanitat, BR-13566590 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Embrapa Satellite Monitoring, BR-13070115 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, BR-13416903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Soil Sci, BR-13418900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; v. 192, n. 1, p. 54-61, AUG 15 2011.
• Web of Science Citations: 39

Abstract

This study investigated the ionic speciation of reclaimed urban wastewater (RWW), and the impact of increasing RWW irrigation rates on soil properties and plant nutrition under field conditions. Most RWW elements (>66%) are readily available as NH(4)(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+), SO(4)(2-), Cl(-), H(3)BO(3), Mn(2+) and Zn(2+), but in imbalanced proportion for plant nutrition. Lead, Cd, Cr and Al in RWW are mostly bounded with DOM or OH. Irrigation with RWW decreased soil acidity, which is beneficial to the acidic tropical soil. Although RWW irrigation builds exchangeable Na(+) up, the excessive Na(+) was leached out of the soil profile after a rainy summer season (>400 mm). Benefits of the disposal of RWW to the soil under tropical conditions were discussed, however, the over irrigation with RWW (>100% of crop evapotranspiration) led to a nutritional imbalance, accumulating S and leading to a plant deficiency of P and K. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/14315-4 - Use of secondary treated efluents by biological processes (stabilization pond systems and UASB reactor/activated sludge process) in agricultural soils
• Grantee: Adolpho José Melfi
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants