Effluent Irrigation Research Articles

Implementing Early Warning Systems in WWTP. An investigation with cost-effective LED-VIS spectroscopy-based genetic algorithms

Measuring how the pollution load evolves in real time along sewer networks is key for proper management of water resources and protecting the environment. The technique of molecular spectroscopy for water characterization has increasingly widespread use, as it is a non-invasive technique that leads to the correlation of the physical-chemical conditions of wastewater with spectroscopic surrogates by a series of mathematical estimation models. In the present research work, different symbolic regression models obtained with evolutive genetic algorithms are evaluated for the estimation of chemical oxygen demand (COD); five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5); total suspended solids (TSS); total phosphorus (TP); and total nitrogen (TN), from the spectral response of samples measured between 380 and 700 nm and without the use of chemicals or pre-treatment. Around 650 wastewater samples were used in the campaign, from 43 different wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in which both, raw/influent and treated/effluent, were examined through 18 models composed of Classical Genetic Algorithm (CGA), the Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS), and Offspring Selection (OS) by mean of HeuristicLab software, to make a comparison among them and to determine which models and wavelengths are most suitable for the correlation. Models are proposed considering both raw and treated samples together (15) and only with tertiary treated wastewater reclaimed for agriculture irrigation effluent (3). The Pearson correlation coefficients were in the range of 67–91% for the test data in the case of the combined models. The results conform the first steps for a real-time monitoring of WWTP.

末端血液透析監視装置からの排水調査と酸性排水に対する中和方法の検討

The 2019 version of the dialysate drainage standard states that it will comply with the sewerage law exclusion standard. Hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and temperature are particularly important items. In the hemodialysis room, cleaning and disinfection are performed for the purpose of maintaining cleanliness. Therefore, we investigated the collection of wastewater from the terminal hemodialysis monitoring device. Furthermore, the neutralization method was experimentally examined. In the neutralization experiment, the cases where distilled water and dialysate stock solution were used were compared. In the effluent survey, each effluent tended to be acidic or alkaline, COD was high at the time of acidic irrigation effluent, and DO did not affect environmental pollution. The maximum drainage temperature was observed to be 60 °C. In the neutralization experiment, the dialysate could be neutralized with a smaller dilution rate than distilled water. In order to avoid the impact on public sewerage facilities and environmental pollution, it is essential to neutralize and drain the water. It was also considered possible to develop a wastewater treatment system that reuses dialysate.

Assessing the potential of Khayasenegalensis in phytoremediation of heavy metals under borehole water and tannery effluent irrigation

Khayasenegalensis was planted on soil irrigated with tannery effluent and borehole water for duration of three months. Plant samples were collected after harvest and soil samples were collected before planting and after harvesting. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the planting media and plant tissues. The aim was to establish the phytoremediation potential of Khayasenegalensis under these conditions. After harvesting, a noticeable decrease in the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu Ni, Pb and Zn in the media was observed from the initial values. The highest levels of Cd (5.53±0.56mg/kg), Cr (13.99±0.82mg/kg), Pb(10.6110.61±0.57mg/kg, Ni (8.33±2.78mg/kg)and Zn(25.72±0.00 mg/kg) accumulation were found in the roots, whereas the highest Cu (7.29±1.80mg/kg) concentrations was observed in the shoot. The roots of Khayasenegalensis were found to be suitable for the phytostabilization heavy metals in both the tannery effluent and borehole water irrigated media. In addition, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb mainly accumulated in the Khayasenegalensisroots. The results of translocation factors (TF) and bioconcentration factors (BCF) of Khayasenegalensis for heavy metals revealed that Khayasenegalensis is an excluder plant for Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni and Zn and a potential accumulator plant for Cu serving as an ideal remediation plant for this metal. Furthermore, the increasing heavy metal contents in soil that have been irrigated with tannery effluent resulted in the accumulation of these metals inKhayasenegalensis.

Graphene quantum dot and iron co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts: Synthesis, performance evaluation and phytotoxicity studies

The present study reports the synthesis, photocatalytic decolorization of reactive black 5 dye and phytotoxicity of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and iron co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts via modified sol gel method. GQDs were synthesized by direct pyrolysis of citric acid (CA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) were used to determine the physicochemical properties of the best performing photocatalysts. The results indicated improved physicochemical properties of GQD-0.1Fe-TiO2-300 with root mean square roughness (Rz) (33.82 nm), higher surface area (170.79 m2 g−1), pore volume (0.08 cm3 g−1), and bandgap (2.94 eV). Moreover, GQD-0.1Fe co-doping of TiO2 greatly improved the photocatalytic decolorization efficiency for RB5 dye. The photocatalytic reaction followed the pseudo first order reaction with gradual decrease in Kapp values for increment in RB5 concentration. The KC value was obtained as 2.45 mg L−1 min−1 while the KLH value was 0.45 L mg−1 indicating the heterogeneous reaction system followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood isotherm and simultaneously occurring adsorption and photocatalytic processes. Photocatalytic reaction mechanism studies exhibited the holes and OH radicals as the main active species in the GQD-0.1Fe-TiO2-300 responsible for the decolorization of RB5. The proposed reaction pathway showed that both Fe-TiO2 and GQDs play important role in generation of electrons and holes. Additionally, GQD-0.1Fe-TiO2-300 were durable up to four cycles. Phytotoxicity assay displayed that treated water and best performing photocatalysts had no effect on Lycopersicon esculentum seed germination. Therefore, the proposed system can pave a viable solution for safe usage of dye loaded wastewater and effluent for irrigation after treatment.

EFFECT OF SOIL IRRIGATION WITH WASTEWATER ON NI FRACTIONS IN SOME CONTAMINATED SOILS IN EGYPT

In this study Ni species were determined using a sequential extraction technique. The method consists of sequential extraction of the soil with different solutions, and it is designed to separate into six operationally defined fractions namely water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate bound, Fe-Mn oxides bound, organic bound and residual fractions. The objectives of this study were to investigate nickel forms in tested soils and to determine the effect of industrial wastewater effluent irrigation on the metal fractions in soil. Data showed a remarkable increase in all tested Ni-forms in polluted soil. It could be concluded that soil composition has been changed with depth. Especially under such condition whereas, metal soluble organic compounds found in wastewater may precipitate and percolates through soil and may transport soluble Ni with the soil solution.

Impact of biosolids amendment and wastewater effluent irrigation on enteric antibiotic-resistant bacteria – a greenhouse study

Reuse of wastewater effluent and biosolids in agriculture is essential to sustainable water and nutrient resource management practices. Wastewater and biosolids, however, are reportedly the recipients, reservoirs, and sources of antibiotic-resistant enteric pathogens. While decay rates of fecal bacterial indicators in soil are frequently studied, very few studies have reported on the persistence of the antibiotic-resistant sub-populations. Little is known about how multi-drug resistance phenotypes of enteric bacteria in agricultural soil change over time. In this study, germinated carrot seeds were planted in soil that received biosolids amendment and/or wastewater effluent irrigation in a greenhouse setting. We quantified total and antibiotic-resistant fecal bacterial indicators (Escherichia coli and enterococci) weekly in soil and total E. coli at harvest (day 77) on carrots. Antibiotic susceptibility of 121 E. coli and 110 enterococci collected isolates were determined. E. coli or enterococci were not recovered from the soil without biosolids amendment regardless of the irrigation water source. After biosolids amendment, soil E. coli and enterococci concentrations increased more than 3 log10 CFU/g-TS within the first week, declined slowly over time, but stayed above the detection limit (0.39 CFU/g-TS) over the entirety of the study. No statistical difference was found between effluent wastewater or water irrigation in soil total and antibiotic-resistant E. coli and enterococci concentrations or carrots E. coli levels. Soil antibiotic-resistant E. coli and enterococci decayed significantly faster than total E. coli and enterococci. Moreover, the prevalence of multi-drug resistant (resistance to three or more antibiotics) E. coli declined significantly over time, while almost all collected enterococci isolates showed multi-drug resistance phenotypes. At harvest, E. coli were present on carrots; the majority of which were resistant to ampicillin. The survival of antibiotic-resistant enteric bacteria in soil and on harvested carrots indicates there are transmission risks associated with biosolids amendment use in root crops.

Bacterial Movement in Subsurface Soil during Winter Irrigation of Reclaimed Wastewater

Processes to remove and inactivate Escherichia coli from wastewater effluents and drainage are complex and interrelated. The objective of this study was to determine if irrigation of undisinfected wastewater effluents in the winter moves bacteria to surface water through subsurface drainage, posing a public health risk. The central Ohio study site, an open meadow constructed in the 1970s, is irrigated with lagoon effluents each summer. The irrigated area has subsurface drainage that collects for discharge in one spot. Undisinfected wastewater from a stabilization pond was irrigated for the first time in the winter of 2013/2014. E. coli was measured in the subsurface discharge during the irrigated winter season and compared to the non-irrigated previous winter season. Soil temperature and moisture were also monitored. E. coli moved to subsurface drains when the water table was above the drain. E. coli also moved to subsurface drains when the shallow soil temperature dropped to near freezing. With less winter sunlight and minimal evapotranspiration, the soil stayed moist near field capacity. Temperature appears to be the most important factor in limiting natural inactivation in subsurface soil and allowing the movement of E. coli in undisinfected wastewater effluents to the subsurface drainage systems. The results show that winter reuse of undisinfected wastewater does pose a public health risk to surface water through subsurface drainage. Therefore, disinfection of wastewater effluents used for irrigation is strongly recommended.

GHG Emission Reduction Opportunities for Road Projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: A Scenario Approach

The transportation sector is considered one of the driving forces behind the increased release of greenhouse gases (GHGs), with road transport being this sector’s main emissions contributor. In turn, efforts should be devoted to reducing emitted GHGs from this sector, and many such opportunities lie in the road transport life cycle. This paper investigated fourteen emission reduction scenarios based on the green initiatives issued by the Abu Dhabi Government. The explored measures are either related to road works and road municipal services or to traffic movement. The proposed measures were evaluated with reference to a baseline study previously reported by the authors for three different road projects in Abu Dhabi city. Findings reveal that normalized GHG emission reduction could be significantly reduced by (i) replacing 30% of internal combustion engine passenger cars with battery electric vehicles where the power demand is covered almost equally from nuclear and liquified natural gas (LNG) sources, (ii) reducing the number of passenger cars by 10%, and (iii) having one-fifth of passenger cars powered by LNG. A lesser significant reduction could be achieved by replacing conventional lamps with light-emitting diode (LED) lamps or by having one-fourth of lighting powered by solar energy. Even lesser reduction could be achieved by (i) replacing a portion of Portland cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag in concrete structures, (ii) fully utilizing treated sewage effluent for roadside-plant irrigation, (iii) reducing desalinated water used for roadside-plant irrigation by 20%, and (iv) increasing the number of higher efficiency passenger cars by 10%. Replacing hot-mix asphalt with warm-mix asphalt and using asphalt with a high stiffness modulus in the base layer results in low emission reduction. The use of 15% recycled asphalt or the use of 50% recycled aggregate in road construction has the least impact on emission reduction. When all explored scenarios were combined, an overall normalized GHG emissions reduction of 9–17% during the road project life cycle could be achieved.

Destruction of Moth Bean (Vigna aconitifolia (jacq.) Marechal) Morphological Aspect and Biochemical Constituents during Dairy Effluent Irrigation

The current exploration is being fetched out to evaluate the consequence of dairy effluent on morphological aspect and biochemical constituents in Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal). For this, experimentation work dairy effluents were amassed from the outlet of milk processing plants. The diverse concentrations used for the effluent were Control (normal water), 5, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The growth parameters viz., Shoot Length (SL), Roots Length (RL), Number of Leaves (NL), Total Leaf Area (TLA), Fresh Weight (FW) and Dry Weight (DW), and the biochemical issue like viz., chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, reducing, non-reducing sugar, total sugars, starch, amino acid, and protein content were analysed

Impact of irrigation with fish-processing effluents on nitrification and ammonia-oxidizer abundances in Patagonian arid soils.

This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of irrigation with diluted fish-processing effluents on soil pH, electrical conductivity, nitrification rate and abundance of ammonia oxidizers. To accomplish that, we constructed microcosms of soil from an undisturbed arid ecosystem of Patagonia, and irrigated them for 2 months with diluted effluents from a fish-processing factory or with water as control. In the initial soil sample, and along the experiment, we determined soil pH, electrical conductivity, and the concentration of inorganic nitrogen forms, which we used to calculate the net nitrification rate. We further estimated the abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in the initial soil sample and at the end of the experiment, by qPCR of amoA genes. Soil pH decreased and electrical conductivity increased in both irrigation treatments, although the effect was higher in effluent-irrigated microcosms. Soil nitrate + nitrite concentration, and thus the nitrification rate, was higher in effluent than in water-irrigated microcosms. The abundance of archaeal amoA genes was higher under effluent than water-irrigation, but that of bacterial amoA genes did not vary significantly between treatments. Neither ammonia-oxidizing archaea nor bacteria were influenced by the changes in soil pH and electrical conductivity induced by effluent irrigation.

Occurrence, monitoring and risk assessment of toxic substances in sewage water treatment plants: A case study, great Cairo, Egypt.

An evaluation process on the validity of wastewater treatment plants effluents for irrigation was done. Chemical and microbial pollutants were measured occasionally in five WWTPs spread in great Cairo, Egypt. The results revealed that WWTPs used secondary treatment (Chlorination) were had the capability to scrape much amount of microbial pollutants, while the units that have only primary treatments were unable to eliminate the microbial organisms. Although the processes used at WWTPs were unspecific for inorganic contaminants removal, metals were reduced in effluents to more than 50 % about the influents. This reduce was attributed to the adsorption of metals on activated sludge which used in aeration stage. In spite of low concentration values of heavy metals in the effluents, these values were conducted to cause hazard effects for aquatic organisms especially Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn based on predict no effect concentration criteria. Water quality index was calculated to identify the applicability of WWTPs effluents for sign in irrigation. The results cleared that the effluents of all units studied weren’t applicable for irrigation purpose. These consequences can affect directly on biological cycles. Thus it seems that more consideration of bio conservation protocols is so important.

Biotreatment of brewery effluents for aquaculture use using autochthonous fungi

The potential of reducing environmental impact of untreated brewery effluent was investigated. Although concentrations of pollutants in such effluents are usually considered low and inadvertently discharged into adjacent urban drainage facility, mycoremediation to remove dissolved inorganic nutrients in effluent was conducted with a view for aquaculture use in Uyo metropolis, southeast Nigeria. Raw brewery effluents were obtained and screened for indigenous microbial flora. Autochthonous fungi isolated included Aspergillus niger, Verticillium sp. and Mucor sp. The potential use of isolates as alternative treatment of brewery effluents was analyzed for treated and control groups. Treated group was inoculated with pure colonies of fungi isolates while the control group received no fungi treatment or modification. Both groups were incubated for seven (7) days. Thereafter, the physicochemical parameters of raw and remediated effluents were analysed and compared with National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and aquaculture standards. Results confirmed suitability of autochthonous fungi isolates in mycoremediation of brewery effluent for aquaculture and irrigation.
 Key words: effluent toxicity, industrial pollution, mycoremediation, aquatic ecosystem, Uyo

Utilization of Fish Farm Effluent for Irrigation Short Rotation Willow (Salix alba L.) under Lysimeter Conditions

Efficient utilization, treatment, and disposal of agricultural wastewater and sewage sludge are important environmental risks. In our research, effluent water from intensive aquaculture was evaluated for the irrigation of short rotation energy willow in a lysimeter experiment. Two different water types and their combinations were applied with weekly doses of 15, 30, and 60 mm, respectively. Our results revealed that implementing effluent water instead of fresh water could potentially increase the yield of the willow due to its higher nitrogen content (29 N mg/L). The biomass of irrigated short rotation coppice (SRC) willow plants were between 493–864 g/plant, 226–482 g/plant, and 268–553 g/plant dry weight during experiment period (2015–2017), respectively. However, due to the chemical properties (Na concentration, SAR value) of effluent water, the increase of the soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was significant and it can lead to soil degradation in the long term. The current study also investigated the relationship between chemical composition of the plant tissue and the irrigation water. In the case of K-levels of willow clones, an increasing trend was observed year-by-year. In terms of N and Na content was localized in leaf parts, especially in samples irrigated with effluent. Less N and Na values were detected in the stem and in the samples irrigated with surface water. In SRC willow plants, phosphorus was mostly localized in the stem, to a lower extent in the leaf part. The difference is mostly observed in the case of the amount of irrigation water, where the P content of the examined plant parts decreased with the increase of the amount of irrigation water. In the case of phenological observations, higher values of plant height were measured during diluted and effluent irrigation. Moreover, the SPAD of the plants irrigated with effluent water exceeded the irrigated ones with surface water.

Sustainable production of Origanum syriacum L. using fish effluents improved plant growth, yield, and essential oil composition

The concept of Integrating Aquaculture with Agriculture (IAA) is considered the right path towards achieving sustainable agriculture in semi and arid areas. With the increase of global water scarcity, the double utilization of water for both fish and crop production is gaining more attention since it ensures maximizing the productivity of every unit of water used. This study investigated the effect of fish effluent irrigation on the herbage growth, essential oil content, and composition of Origanum syriacum L. The experiment followed a randomized complete design of three irrigation treatments with three replicates, i.e., control with 100% chemical fertilizers (CT), full irrigation with fish effluent (FT), and the mixed treatment (MT) with 50% CT and 50% FT. Study findings showed that FT reached 49 branches/plant, gained maximum plant height (58.8cm), and highest fresh and dry herbage yield reaching 17.76 and 6.722 tons ha-1, respectively, in the second cut. Essential oil content reached the maximum in FT at 64.02dm3 ha-1 and 143.5dm3 ha-1, while the lowest in CT at 15.95dm3 ha-1 and 109.33dm3 ha-1 for the first cut and second, respectively. Carvacrol was the main constituent of the excreted essential oil, representing a maximum of 80.87% for FT in the first cut and 74.69% for MT in the second cut. It was closely followed by p-Cymene (10.75% - CT, 6.38% - FT) and γ-Terpinene (5.06% - CT, 8.49% - FT) for the first and second cut respectively. The importance of these major chemical components stems from their use in both the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Integrated Assessment of Nickel Electroplating Industrial Wastewater Effluent as a Renewable Resource of Irrigation Water Using a Hydroponic Cultivation System.

Nickel, a micronutrient essential for plant growth and development, has been recognized as a metallic pollutant in wastewater. The concentration of nickel ions in the water course, exceeding the maximum tolerable limit, has called for an alarming attention, due to the bioaccumulative entry in the water–plant–human food chain, leaving a burden of deteriorative effects on visible characteristics, physiological processes, and oxidative stress response in plants. In this work, the renewable utilization of nickel electroplating industrial wastewater effluent (0, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100%) as a viable source of irrigation water was evaluated using a hydroponic cultivation system, by adopting Lablab purpureus and Brassica chinensis as the plant models, in relation to the physical growth, physiological and morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, proline, and oxidative responses. The elongation of roots and shoots in L. purpureus and B. chinensis was significantly inhibited beyond 25 and 5% of industrial wastewater. The chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid contents, accompanied by alterations in the morphologies of xylem, phloem, and distortion of stomata, were recorded in the industrial wastewater-irrigated groups, with pronounced toxicity effects detected in B. chinensis. Excessive proline accumulation was recorded in the treated plant models. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) scavenging activities were drastically altered, with a profound upregulation effect in the POD activity in L. purpureus and both POD and APX in B. chinensis, predicting the nickel-induced oxidative stress. Conclusively, the diluted industrial wastewater effluent up to the optimum concentrations of 5 and 25%, respectively, could be feasibly reused as a renewable resource for B. chinensis and L. purpureus irrigation, verified by the minimal or negligible phytotoxic implications in the plant models. The current findings have shed light on the interruption of nickel-contaminated industrial wastewater effluent irrigation practice on the physical and biochemical features of food crops and highlighted the possibility of nutrient recycling via wastewater reuse in a sustainable soilless cultivation.

Wastewater reuse in irrigation: short-term effect on soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in Brazilian semi-arid region

The main process that opposes the Greenhouse Effect is called “carbon sequestration”, a phenomenon that essentially seeks to establish a dynamic balance between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the immobilization of its elements, especially C and N. This work evaluated the stocks of carbon and nitrogen in soils of the Brazilian semi-arid submitted to irrigation with treated wastewater from domestic sewage. For this purpose, the carbon and nitrogen stocks in the soil of the semi-arid region of Brazil were compared for four different uses: Open Native Caatinga (ONC); Treated Wastewater Effluent Irrigation (TSEI); Surface Water Irrigation (SWI); and Traditional Rainfed Agriculture (TRA). The hypothesis considered in this research was that the application of treated effluents in agriculture, besides being an alternative that can mitigate the problem of water scarcity of the semiarid region, is also capable of influencing the storage capacity of C and N in the soil, due to its organic load. The results indicate that among the different land uses evaluated, soil C and N stocks were highest in ONC, and decreased with the agricultural land use. The greatest accumulation of C and N in Caatinga is due to the presence of forest litter, and the influence of irrigation with treated sewage effluent was not detected in the present study. It can be concluded that the contribution of vegetation residues to the soil surface is the main factor contributing to C and N storage.

Constructed Wetland Effluent Irrigation as a Potential Water and Nutrient Source for Vegetables

A field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of constructed wetland effluent irrigation on the yield and productivity of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis). The Telfairia occidentalis were planted in 12 beds (6 beds per treatment) measuring 1m wide, 3m long and 0.2m high. The plants were grown for 8 weeks before they were harvested. The experimental plots were irrigated with secondary treated effluent from an experimental constructed wetland treating slaughterhouse wastewater. The control treatment involved the irrigation with tap water. The results show that the effluent used in the study was rich in nutrients and organic content. The result also revealed that the mean biomass yield of 146.14g, mean leaf length of 10.10cm, mean height of 97.50cm, mean leaf width of 5.36cm and mean number of branches of 16.24 were significantly higher for the secondary treated slaughterhouse effluent irrigated plots compared to the values obtained for the control plots, indicating that effluent irrigation has a great potential to serve as not only a water source for vegetable cultivation, but also as a nutrient source for increased productivity.

Evaluation of Yield and Quality Attributes of Grafted Brinjal under Treated Paperboard Mill Effluent Irrigation and Sludge Application

Field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of paperboard mill sludge compost and treated paperboard mill effluent irrigation on growth and yield of grafted brinjal. Among the different treatment combinations, application of phosphorus enriched ETP sludge compost at 5 t ha-1 along with treated effluent through drip irrigation and recommended level of NPK (200:150:100 kg NPK ha-1) resulted the highest brinjal yield of 42.7 t ha-1. There were no adverse effects on soil properties due to sludge compost application and treated effluent irrigation. Quality attributes of the fruits which include anthocyanin content, total phenol content, ascorbic acid content, titrable acidity and protein content were not affected due to the composted sludge application along with treated effluent irrigation. Thus, the treated effluent and the composted sludge which complies with the state pollution control board norms can be used as a viable alternative source of irrigation and nutrients for grafted brinjal cultivation without adversely affecting on crop quality.

The status of freshwater and reused treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Abstract Global freshwater scarcity is imposing the demand for using non-conventional water resources for irrigation and non-irrigation purposes. Direct reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is a widespread practice in arid and semi-arid regions, because of water shortage and scarcity. Water scarcity and the need for ecological sustainability have led to the introduction of treated wastewater as an additional water resource in the national water resources' management plans of Mediterranean countries. The use of wastewater for irrigation is an important tool for water resources' supplement. However, the reuse of effluent in irrigation can have negative impacts on crop quality and soil conditions, as well as on public health and the environment. Furthermore, inappropriate management of agricultural irrigation with treated wastewater can also pose problems for plant production and the physical and chemical properties of soils. This paper presents some approaches to understand the impacts of reusing treated wastewater. It also presents a critical analysis of the treated wastewater's reuse for irrigation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), while shedding light on the water status in the OPT. The paper investigates the wastewater treatment and reuse for agricultural irrigation, especially in the lack of control of Palestinians on their own freshwater resources in the OPT.

The Impact of Dairy Effluent on Germination Parameters of Seeds of Mung bean (Vigna radiata) and Mustard (Brassica nigra)

The advancement of a country depends upon its industrialization. Of all industrial sectors, the food processing units have highest consumption of water and are biggest producers of effluent per unit of production.The concentration and composition of the effluent depends upon operating methods andthe size and design of the processing plant.The dairy industry generates on an average 6-10 litres of waste water per litre of the milk processed. It has relatively high organic matter, suspended solids, trace organic nutrients which are essential for growth of crop plant. Thus, the utilization of the dairy effluent for irrigation can be an eco friendly approach for its disposal. The present study was carried out to study the influence of dairy effluent on seed germination, seedling growth and biomass production in mung bean (Vigna radiata) and mustard (Brassica nigra). The seeds of both the plant species were grown in petriplates and pots irrigated with various concentrations of dairy effluent (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%). The dairy effluent concentration of 20% was more favorable for total growth parameters viz., the germination percentage, the shoot length, dry weight and wet weight both in mustard and mung bean. Among different concentrations, 100% concentration of effluent caused inhibitory effect. Thus, it is recommended that only after suitable dilution, the dairy effluent can be effectively used for irrigation.