Abstract
Great attention has been paid to the potential of wastewater irrigation as a sustainable water source, particularly due to water scarcity and water pollution issues. However, few studies have focused on its adverse effects and on the health risks it may pose. In this study, the physicochemical properties of soils and plants irrigated with rural domestic wastewater and associated microbiological risks were investigated. The results showed that sewage irrigation could increase the production of vegetables and improve soil fertility. While the nitrate content of plants increased significantly, pathogens on plants and in soils increased after irrigation with raw wastewater. In particular, there was a wide range of pathogenic bacteria in the phyllosphere, which may indicate risks if contaminated vegetables are consumed directly. Treated wastewater irrigation was not significantly different from controls, which were irrigated by tap water; consequently, it can be used as an alternative water resource for agricultural irrigation. The presence of a wide spectrum pathogens in wastewater shows the necessity of long-term monitoring and further evaluation.
Highlights
The geographic distribution of water resources in China is very non-uniform, with 90% of surface water and 70% of groundwater distributed in various southern provinces
This study focused on common pathogens, including pathogens present in the environment and several pathogens that have emerged as a focus of research interest in recent years
There was no significant difference in soil pH between non-planted soils irrigated with tap water and wastewater, while soil pH was significantly higher in non-planted than in planted soil (Figure 2), because the pH of plant root exudates is lower than soil
Summary
The geographic distribution of water resources in China is very non-uniform, with 90% of surface water and 70% of groundwater distributed in various southern provinces. Treated wastewater is used directly for irrigation in many countries, especially in arid and semiarid areas It contains essential plant nutrients, such as Ca, Mg, K, N, P and Fe, that are important for plant growth [5]. Considerable research has been focused on the effect of wastewater irrigation on soil properties and on the quality of vegetables. Fayyad et al [17] conducted a field experiment to investigate the effect of different treatments of potable and treated wastewater on the quality of tomato fruit. Singh et al [18] described a year-long experiment to observe the effect of sewage wastewater irrigation on soil properties, crop yield and the environment. Conducted research on heavy metal content in soils under different wastewater irrigation patterns. The effects of wastewater irrigation on growth and nutrition plant indices were investigated
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