Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture: Effects on Soil-Plant System Properties
The use of non-conventional water resources can help to mitigate water stress and can support the agricultural sector. Treated municipal wastewater is one of the most readily available alternative water resources, and its use in agriculture has been adopt
- PDF / 319,828 Bytes
- 24 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 59 Downloads / 198 Views
Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Legislative Framework 1.2 Characteristics of the Municipal and Agro-Industrial Wastewaters 2 Main Advantages and Risks of Treated Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture 2.1 Supply of Mineral Nutrients for Crop Growth 2.2 Heavy Metal Accumulation in Soil and Crops 2.3 Microbiological Risks 3 Agronomic Practices Related to Treated Wastewater Reuse: The Role of Irrigation Methods 4 Effects of Wastewater on Soil-Plant System 4.1 Effects on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of the Soil 4.2 Effects on Soil Microbiological Characteristics 4.3 Quantitative and Qualitative Response of Crops to Irrigation with Wastewater 5 Final Considerations References
Abstract The use of non-conventional water resources can help to mitigate water stress and can support the agricultural sector. Treated municipal wastewater is one of the most readily available alternative water resources, and its use in agriculture has been adopted to reduce fresh water usage in several countries, under their respective water quality regulations. This chapter reviews the results of past and current research on the reuse of treated wastewater (municipal and agro-industrial) for irrigation and the corresponding effects on soil and plant systems. Particular attention has been given to research efforts highlighting the effects of chemical-physical
G. Gatta (*), A. Libutti, A. Gagliardi, G. Disciglio, E. Tarantino, L. Beneduce, and M. M. Giuliani Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy e-mail: [email protected] Sandra Pérez Solsona, Nicola Montemurro, Serge Chiron, and Damià Barceló (eds.), Interaction and Fate of Pharmaceuticals in Soil-Crop Systems: The Impact of Reclaimed Wastewater, Hdb Env Chem, DOI 10.1007/698_2020_648, © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
G. Gatta et al.
wastewater characteristics (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and heavy metals) and the corresponding microbiological indicators (e.g. Escherichia coli and Salmonella) on irrigated crops and soils. The selection of irrigation methods is another topic discussed in this chapter. Drip and subsurface irrigation methods are considered the more suitable irrigation techniques to be used with treated wastewater; they minimise toxicity hazards for plants, reduce the contamination of edible crop products, and mitigate human health risks by minimising direct contact between wastewater and plant. Keywords Agro-industrial wastewater, Crop irrigation, Microbiological risks, Municipal wastewater, Wastewater reuse
1 Introduction Wastewater reuse has potential benefits for agriculture and water resources management but can also determine substantial risks to public health. Moreover, chemical risks for plant and environment could occur due to soil and groundwater pollution. Indeed, the main problems related to wastewater reuse can be linked to the possible environmental dispersion of macro- and micronutrients, soil and plant accumulation of heavy metals and the contamination due to microbial pathogens.
Data Loading...
