Abstract

The impact of waste irrigation on the concentrations of the metals Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn contents in grains of Sorghum bicolor was investigated through analyzing (for three seasons 2008-2010) four different-irrigation sorghum grains samples grown on four different-irrigation soil areas according to the experimental design. The two original soils: Soil, historically and experimentally, irrigated with Wastewater (SHEwastewater), and Soil, historically and experimentally, irrigated with wells water (SHEwells water), were analyzed in the 1st season. Wastewater and wells water samples were analyzed in the 1st and 2nd seasons. According to the procedures used in the literature, Samples were collected, pretreated, preserved, digested according to the microwave assisted acids digestion procedures, and analyzed for metals by ICP-AES. Quality control was performed and %R(s) we got were in the acceptable ranges for real samples analysis. Fe contents of the two types of soil samples were not significantly different. Cu and Ni contents of SHEwastewater were higher than that of SHEwells water whereas Zn content of SHEwastewater was lower than that of SHEwells water. In addition, not all metal levels of the two types of soil samples have exceeded the upper EU standards except nickel in SHEwastewater. The average means (of 1st and 2nd seasons) levels of Cu, Fe, Ni of wastewater was higher than that of wells water, but for Zn, the case is reversed. In addition, the average means of all metal ions of both wastewater and wells water was lower than Yemeni standard for irrigation water. Sorghum grains analysis results, for at least two of the three seasons, indicated that: wastewater irrigation resulted in an increase of nickel content of grains of Sorghum bicolor. Wells water irrigation resulted in an increase in zinc content. In addition, there is no significant difference between the effect of wastewater and wells water irrigation on copper and iron contents of grains of Sorghum bicolor.

Highlights

  • In small quantities, certain heavy metals (Chromium, Cobalt, Iron, and Zinc) are a nutritionally essential of a healthy life

  • Ultrasonic assisted acid digestion and a traditional hot plate acid digestion was used for digestion of different samples such as plant samples and the analytical results for heavy metals showed no significant difference at 95% confidence level ( P

  • The recoveries of Fe and Zn were not calculated due to the spiked amount is much lower than their concentrations in the sample matrix

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Certain heavy metals (Chromium, Cobalt, Iron, and Zinc) are a nutritionally essential of a healthy life. As in many other countries, some farmers reuse chemically- untreated wastewater to irrigate their crops, some of these crops are of human consumption such as grains of Sorghum and wheat. Wastewater irrigation results in an elevation in some toxic heavy metals in soils. These metals moved into the soil, concentrate on the food chain, thereby reaching humans and causing chronic or acute diseases [12]. Grains of Sorghum bicolor, in our country, is one of the main human consumption crops, these grains are, sometimes, cultivated by some farmers, depending on wastewater irrigation from the second, and occasionally, from the first pond of the treatment plant. There are Yemeni standard for a grain of Sorghum [13], Yemeni maximum tolerable limits of toxic heavy metals (mg/kg) wheat flour [14], and WHO upper limits of daily or weekly intake of trace or micronutrient by the human for each [15, 16]

Experimental design and sampling plan
Soil samples
Water samples
Sorghum grains samples
Instruments and equipment
Samples Preparation and analysis
Water Analysis Results
Quality Control
Metal ions levels of Different-irrigation Grains of Sorghum bicolor
CONCLUSIONS
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