Sewage effluent as an alternative source for irrigation: Impact on soil properties and heavy metalstatus

Document Type : Original Article

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Soils and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Egypt.

Abstract

                Sewage irrigation may provide an alternative resource due to scarcity of fresh water in Egypt, thus such a practice should be evaluated. A number of 36 pairs of soil samples were collected; each pair consisted of one sample irrigated with fresh water and another irrigated with sewage water from two different sites in Al-QalyubiaGovernorate, Egypt. Sewage water-irrigated soils showed higher pH, EC, N, P, K, Fe Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb and Ni than fresh water-irrigated soils. Positive changes in soil properties occurred with sewage irrigation. Bulk density decreased field capacity, organic carbon and nutrients increased by sewage water irrigation. There was build-upinCd, Pb, Ni and Zn. Single pollution index (SPI) and pollution load index (PLI) indicated no pollution in fresh water irrigated soils as both parameters did not exceed 1.0. Sewage irrigated soils were moderately polluted. The contamination factor (CF) revealed aconsideredcontamination withPb and high for Cd, Ni and Zn. The contamination degree was very high. Food crops cultivationin such soils should be practiced under precautionswith a change in the cropping pattern.

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