Impact assessment of long treated wastewater irrigation on soil and crops in Algeria
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(2020) 5:65
ORIGINAL PAPER
Impact assessment of long treated wastewater irrigation on soil and crops in Algeria Sami Touil1,2 · Mohamed Nacer Chabaca3 · Omira Hasbaia4 Received: 11 January 2020 / Accepted: 20 July 2020 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Water deficiency has become a critical problem in the Mediterranean region due to increases in population and industrial activities and increasing demand for irrigation water. The reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation can contribute towards alleviating the challenge of sufficient irrigation water, but irrigation with TWW can over time influence several soil parameters, such as physico-chemical properties and microbial activities. The aim of this study was to determine soil quality in agricultural fields to the north of Corso, Boumerdès Province, Algeria following the use of TWW for irrigation for 5 and 11 years. The results show an accumulation of salts and some heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Ni) in some soil horizons of the sample plots irrigated by TWW, as well as a reduction in certain microflora populations (Clostridium sulfate reducers and members of the coliform group of bacteria). The levels of Cd, Cr, Co and Fe did not seem to be affected by TWW irrigation. These results suggest that to avoid possible soil contamination and risks to microflora populations, the quality of the TWW must be checked regularly according to the relevant standards for water reuse. Keywords Irrigation · Metal elements · Treated waste water · Salinity · Microflora
Introduction Algeria, similar to many Mediterranean countries, is constantly searching to diversify their water resources, such as by developing infrastructures for sea water desalination on coastal areas for the production of drinking water, using brackish water for irrigation, re-using treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation and industrial activities and artificially recharging aquifers using floodwaters. Available water resources in all of Algeria have been estimated to be Communicated by Armando da Costa Duarte, Chief Editor. * Sami Touil s.touil@univ‑dbkm.dz 1
Djilali Bounaama Khemis Miliana University, Khemis Miliana, Ain Defla, Algeria
2
Laboratory of Crop Production and Sustainable Valorization of Natural Resources, University of Djilali Bounaama Khemis Miliana, Khemis Miliana, Ain Defla, Algeria
3
Superior National School of Agronomy, El Harrach, Algiers, Algeria
4
University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, Bab‑Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria
17 billion m3. In the north of the country, it is estimated there are 2 billion m3 of groundwater and 10 billion m3 of surface water resources, of which 70% is mobilized in 70 reservoirs; in the south, it is estimated that there are 5 billion m3 groundwater resources. The requirement for goodquality water resources is increasing due to an increasing population and increasing industrial and agricultural activities. In addition, freshwater resources in arid and semi-arid regions are often scarce, and alternative water sources, often m
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