Reuse In Agricultural Irrigation Research Articles

Treatment of Domestic Wastewater in Colombia Using Constructed Wetlands with Canna Hybrids and Oil Palm Fruit Endocarp

Untreated domestic wastewater from rural areas poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are a viable alternative for this wastewater treatment, enhancing nitrogen removal using substrates as carbon sources. This process is particularly beneficial for wastewater with low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios, making the treated water suitable for agricultural irrigation. In this study, a Horizontal Subsurface Flow CW (HSF-CW) was evaluated using Canna hybrids and a mixed substrate of gravel and endocarp from oil palm fruit (EOP) as a carbon source to leverage its abundance in the region. It was also determined that the effluent complies with the permissible limits set by Resolution 1207 of 2014 from the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which establishes environmental standards for wastewater treatment to ensure environmental protection and enable safe reuse in agricultural irrigation. The key parameters analyzed included organic contaminants, heavy metals, nutrients, and microbiological indicators. Removal efficiencies of up to 91%, 94%, 98%, 52%, 73%, 78%, and 75% were achieved for BOD, TSS, total phosphorus, nitrates, nitrites, ammonium, and total nitrogen, respectively, demonstrating the CW’s strong performance in contaminant removal and meeting most standards for agricultural irrigation. Although the carbon source was not highly efficient, the overall system performance supports its viability for improving water quality and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in rural areas.

Assessing the Performance of Permeable Pavement in Mitigating Flooding in Urban Areas

In the case of rapid urban development, the impact of extreme climates on the world is gradually increasing, resulting in frequent flood events. However, Taiwan is still in the stage of urban development, and it is necessary to develop more roads. Therefore, determining how to reduce the impact of road engineering on the environment is one of the major issues currently faced. Therefore, a demonstration road of a general pavement and a permeable pavement was built in Dahua North Street, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, and rainwater was stored in a central irrigation ditch and a permeable pavement through an innovative construction method for reuse in agricultural irrigation. In addition, monitoring instruments and management systems were built, and the flow law formula was established, with R2 greater than 0.9. The actual discharge and peak discharge of the permeable pavement and general pavement were analyzed. According to the data analysis results, it can be seen that the permeable pavement can effectively reduce the peak discharge of 60~75%, which not only can achieve the benefit of low-impact development but also can reuse rainwater. The patent application can be used as an example for the application of permeable pavement in Taiwan in the future.

Water reuse for vine irrigation: from research to full-scale implementation

Abstract Water scarcity is a worldwide problem, which leads to unprecedented pressure on water supply in arid and semi-arid regions. Treated wastewater is an alternative water resource, therefore, its reuse for agricultural irrigation has been growing worldwide since the beginning of the 21st century. In several regions of wine-producing countries (e.g., Australia, California – USA, Spain), wastewater reuse appears to be the most accessible alternative, both financially and technically, for agricultural uses that notably do not require drinking water. From the summer of 2022, vine irrigation full-scale implementation will start with tertiary treated municipal wastewater in the French Languedoc region. This was made possible thanks to a collaborative research project conducted between 2013 and 2018 to address all potential health and environmental risks associated with this process. This research project was conducted in the south of France, with experimental and control plots both equipped with drip irrigation systems. All the results produced during the research project demonstrated the feasibility of applying this process for vine drip irrigation while effectively managing health and environmental risks and complying with the regulation. A social acceptance and economic study were also performed in order to broaden the scope of the project scalability evaluation.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater treatment plant effluent and the possible consequences of its reuse in agricultural irrigation.

Wastewater from hospitals should be monitored precisely and treated properly before discharge and reuse to avoid epidemic and pandemic complications, as it contains hazardous pollutants for the ecosystem. Antibiotic residues in treated hospital wastewater effluents constitute a major environmental concern since they resist various wastewater treatment processes. The emergence and spread of multi-drug-resistant bacteria, that cause public health problems, are therefore always a major concern. The aims and objectives of this study were mainly to characterize the chemical and microbial properties of the hospital effluent of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) before discharge to the environment. Special attention was paid to the presence of multiple resistant bacteria and the effects of hospital effluent reuse in irrigation on zucchini as an economically important plant. The risk of cell-free DNA carrying antibiotic resistance genes contained in the hospital effluent as a long-lasting hazard had been discussed. In this study, 21 bacterial strains were isolated from the effluent of a hospital WWTP. Isolated bacteria were evaluated for multi-drug resistance ability against 5 antibiotics (Tetracycline, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Chloramphenicol, and Erythromycin) at a concentration of 25 ppm. Out of them, three isolates (AH-03, AH-07, and AH-13) were selected because they recorded the highest growth in presence of tested antibiotics. Selected isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence homology as Staphylococcus haemolyticus (AH-03), Enterococcus faecalis (AH-07), and Escherichia coli (AH-13). Their susceptibility to ascending concentrations of tested antibiotics indicated that they were all susceptible at a concentration above 50 ppm. Results of the greenhouse experiment regarding the effect of hospital WWTP effluent reuse on zucchini plant fresh weights compared to that irrigated with fresh water indicated that the former recorded a limited increase in total fresh weights (6.2 g and 5.3 g/plant, respectively). Our results demonstrated the low impact of the reuse of Hospital WWTP effluent in agriculture irrigation compared to its greater risk in transferring multiple antibiotic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes to soil bacteria through natural transformation.

GIS-Based Assessment of the Potential for Treated Wastewater Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation: A Case Study in Northern Italy

Agriculture is the major water user worldwide and it is expected to be negatively affected by climate change and water scarcity. The use of non-conventional water resources could be the solution to overcome this issue. In fact, treated wastewater has a constant availability during the year and it contains nutrients needed for crop growth. The aim of this research was a GIS-based assessment of the potential for treated wastewater agricultural reuse in the Forlì-Cesena province within the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). The results showed that, for the selected study area, treated wastewater could satisfy up to 316% of yearly and 210% of irrigation season crop water needs at the actually irrigated areas. Furthermore, the availability of this alternative water resource could lead to an increase in irrigated areas. For the proposed scenario, which considered both the actually irrigated areas as well as the irrigable areas, crop water needs could be satisfied by up to 107% on the yearly level and 71% in the case of the irrigation season. Treated wastewater reuse feasibility was also investigated considering the minimum water quality requirements that were recently provided by the new Regulation (EU) 2020/741.

Evaluation of biological wastewater treatment in stabilization lagoons from Punta Carnero, Salinas – Ecuador

This research evaluated the wastewater treatment system of the Punta Carnero sector, in relation to pollutant efficiency load removal, final effluent quality and impact on the ecosystem, and finally to determine if the final discharge can be reused for agricultural irrigation. The research was based on the affluent and effluent characterization of the system, carried out in three phases: i) Taking of simple samples, analyzed in an accredited water laboratory and analysis of the contaminant loads efficiency; ii) Review of results compared to the Table of “Discharge limits to a freshwater receiving body”; iii) Examination of results based on the “Water Quality Criteria for Agricultural Irrigation” Table of the Ecuadorian regulation TULSMA (2015). BOD (62.42%), COD (62.41%) and FC (53.58%) removal efficiencies did not comply with current Ecuadorian regulations. The quality of the effluent with respect to the parameters evaluated for discharges to a freshwater receiving body denoted a non-optimal quality of final discharge, negatively impacting the ecosystem. Finally, the evaluation determined parameters that exceed the water quality criteria for agricultural irrigation allowed: Oils-Fats (5.65 mg/l), FC (62,900 NMP/100ml), Hg (0.00141 mg/l), OD (8.86 mg/l). After evaluating the wastewater treatment system, it was determined that the pollutant load removal efficiency and effluent quality is not optimal for discharge into a receiving water body, so it’s not suitable for reuse in agricultural irrigation.
 Keywords: affluent, effluent, water quality.

Local conditions and the economic feasibility of urban wastewater recycling in irrigated agriculture: Lessons from a stochastic regional analysis in California

AbstractUsing treated wastewater for crop irrigation could help mitigate water scarcity. We examine the feasibility of this strategy focusing on the role of local conditions, such as the costs and benefits of alternative wastewater discharge options, and adaptability of agricultural production to water quantity and quality changes. Our approach accounts for uncertainties in the availability of natural water resources and regulatory constraints concerning wastewater discharge. Our analysis of a region in Southern California finds reuse for crop irrigation unwarranted; however, utilizing that practice to support agriculture in the region is economically inexpensive. A sensitivity analysis reveals that diversified agriculture and limitations on the safe and remote discharge of treated wastewater are strong incentives for reuse in agricultural irrigation.

Implementation of magnetic bentonite in food industry wastewater treatment for reuse in agricultural irrigation

Combining natural materials and pretreatment processes with nanomaterials is an alternative to be evaluated for the increase in efficiency and cost reduction of water treatment processes. This work aimed to study the combination of pretreatment processes and primary treatments with bentonite impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles (Bentonite@MNPs) to reuse wastewater from the food indust|ry. Bentonite@MNPs were obtained by green synthesis using glucose as a reducing/stabilizing agent, and the nanocomposite was characterized by SEM, EDS, FTIR, VSM, and XRD analysis. The synthesized nanocomposite was used to remove nitrates and COD from wastewater from the production of guava bars that had been pretreated with coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation processes. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, where the influence of several parameters such as contact time, adsorbent amount, and the temperature was studied. According to the results, the wastewater treated with the coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation processes was still outside the standards for agricultural reuse. After applying the treatment with Bentonite@MNPs, a reduction of COD, nitrates, chlorides, and sulfates of 82%, 75.4%, 98.18%, and 70%, respectively, was achieved. The adsorption isotherm data were best explained by the Langmuir model for COD, and Frendluich model for Nitrates and the adsorption capacity of Bentonite@MNPs for COD and Nitrates was 34.84 and 28.11 mg/g when adsorption temperature was 318 K. The results of thermodynamic studies (ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) showed the spontaneous, endothermic and randomness in the adsorption process. Desorption studies showed excellent regenerative efficiency (up to the 10th cycle) of nanocomposites using 0.01 M NaOH, so this wastewater treatment system for the food industry is promising to implement for the sake of using wastewater as a circular economy component.

<p><strong>Effects of temperature and treated urban wastewater on seed germination and seedling growth in different populations of<em> Moringa oleifera</em> (Lam.)</strong></p>

Drought is an environmental concern in North Africa. Hence, countries in this region promote treated wastewater reuse in agricultural irrigation as sustainable practice in reducing the increasing stress on water resources. Here, we evaluated the treated urban wastewater (TUW) impact on seed germination and seedling growth of four Moringa oleifera (MO) populations in different temperature conditions. Seeds were brought from Morneg and Kairouan in Tunisia and from India and Egypt. Germination tests were performed using different TUW concentrations at 25 and 35°C for 9 days under darkness and distilled water for control. Parameters such as germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), shoot length (SL) and TUW half-maximal effective concentration (EC 50 ) were measured. GP, MGT, and SL varied significantly with incubation temperature and seed source. Only SL did not show any significant variations in all TUW concentrations. Increased temperature had a positive influence on GP and SL; on the contrary, a negative impact on MGT was observed in Kairouan, Egyptian and Indian seeds. EC 50 evaluation showed that TUW was less harmful on Indian Moringa seeds. Seeds incubated at 25°C were structured into two groups: the first containing Morneg, Indian and Egyptian seeds; and the second one with Kairouan seeds. At 35°C, Egyptian seeds left the first group and joined the second indicating that their germination didn’t occur rapidly for temperature increase. Considering Tunisian climate conditions, results showed that Moringa oleifera is able to acclimatize to temperatures of this country.

Comparative life cycle environmental and economic assessment of anaerobic membrane bioreactor and disinfection for reclaimed water reuse in agricultural irrigation: A case study in Italy

Reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes is a measure to reduce water stress and overexploitation of freshwater resources. This study aims to investigate the environmental and economic impacts of a current conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Peschiera Borromeo (Milan, Italy), and compare possible scenarios to enable reclaimed water reuse for agriculture. Accordingly, we propose alternative disinfection methods (i.e. enhanced UV, peracetic acid) and replace conventional activated sludge (CAS) with upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) for biological treatment and use anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) as the tertiary treatment. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) were implemented on the existing full-scale wastewater treatment line and the hypothetical scenarios. In most cases, the impact categories are primarily influenced by fertilizer application and direct emissions to water (i.e. nutrients and heavy metals). The baseline scenario appears to have the largest environmental impact, except for freshwater eutrophication, human ecotoxicity and terrestrial ecotoxicity. As expected, water depletion is the most apparent impact category between the baseline and proposed scenarios. The UASB + AnMBR scenario gives relatively higher environmental benefits than the other proposed scenarios in climate change (−28%), fossil fuel depletion (−31%), mineral resource depletion (−52%), and terrestrial ecotoxicity compared to the baseline. On the other hand, the highest impact on freshwater eutrophication is also obtained by this scenario since the effluent from the anaerobic processes is rich in nutrients. Moreover, investment and operational costs vary remarkably between the scenarios, and the highest overall costs are obtained for the UASB + AnMBR line mostly due to the replacement of membrane modules (24% of the total cost). The results highlighted the importance of the life cycle approach to support decision making when considering possible upgrading scenarios in WWTPs for water reuse.

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.

Effect of treated greywater by black shale and laterite on Lactuca sativa L. germination rate

Greywater reuse for agricultural irrigation may contribute to reduced use of chemical fertilizers, and is helping to conserve scarce freshwater source. However, treatment methods that reduce the harmful effects of untreated greywater are essential for sustainable agriculture. This study aims to evaluate greywater treatment by geo-materials (shale and laterite) and to investigate the germination rate of lettuce. Batch experiments were used to monitor sodium removal from greywater using shale and laterite (36 g.L−1 and 5.63 g. L−1 respectively) as adsorbents. The study monitored sodium removal from greywater during the batch experiments. The results showed that the two geo-materials could be used as low cost-effective adsorbents for treating greywater to satisfy the WHO standard for irrigation water. Furthermore, the results indicated that shale and laterite were successful in removing Na from raw greywater. A kinetic study revealed that maximum Na adsorption occurred in 120 and 240 min for the laterite (1.2 mg. g−1) and the shale (0.184 mg. g−1) respectively. Furthermore, germination rates obtained with raw greywater and greywater treated by shale were higher than 50%, while the lower germination rates were observed when irrigating with tap water (28%) and greywater treated by laterite (33%).

Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polychlorinated Biphenyls from Urban and Olive Mill Wastewaters Intended for Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation.

Domestic and industrial wastewater can be introduced in a reuse chain for irrigation purposes. In this paper, we developed analytical procedures for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) along a wastewater reuse chain for irrigation purposes. Besides urban wastewaters, olive mill wastewater (OMWW) was considered as a potential water source. Wastewaters were purified by different treatments (urban wastewater plants, pilot-activated sludge, and constructed wetland) and used for the irrigation of olive trees. Suitable extraction procedures were used to analyze treated and untreated wastewaters, soils, and postirrigation leachates. For wastewater and leachate samples, the optimized reverse-phase solid-phase extraction (SPE) provided recoveries up to 79%. For OMWW, the SPE procedure was preceded by a normal-phase purification stage with silica gel for the removal of polyphenols, which were as high as 8.7 g/L. After optimization, extraction recoveries in blank solutions were in the range 20-67% and moderately reduced (10-38%) in OMWW as a result of the matrix effect (ME; -10/-60%) ascribed to the very high value of chemical oxygen demand (264 g/L). LODs of the method were below 1.1 µg/L (PAHs) and 3.2 µg/L (PCBs) using GC-MS analysis. For soil samples of different compositions, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) provided better extraction recoveries and reproducibility than the more common quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe approach, which was affected by a high ME. The LODs of the MAE/GC-MS method were below 4.9 µg/kg (PAHs) and 12.3 µg/kg (PCBs). The analytical procedures developed are a valuable tool to quantify the possible propagation of residual contamination from PAHs/PCBs with irrigation along the wastewater reuse chain.

Life-Cycle Assessment of Tertiary Treatment Technologies to Treat Secondary Municipal Wastewater for Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation, Artificial Recharge of Groundwater, and Industrial Usages

AbstractLife-cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to assess the environmental impacts of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), along with 20 tertiary treatment options for reuse in agricultural irriga...

Following the Water: Characterising de facto Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture in the Netherlands

De facto (or indirect) wastewater reuse is the practice of extracting from surface water bodies which are impacted by treated wastewater (TWW) for anthropogenic use. The extent to which surface water bodies in the Netherlands are impacted by TWW is poorly understood, and the distribution of de facto reuse even more so. This study addresses these knowledge gaps, with a focus on reuse for agricultural irrigation. This is achieved via a novel application of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) Explorer water quality model, allowing for the distribution of different flow components—namely TWW and flow from transboundary rivers—to be discerned for the national surface water network. When paired with data on surface water extractions for irrigation, this identifies notable areas of de facto reuse. Results show that during dry conditions, TWW is a significant flow component in many surface water bodies, particularly in smaller streams located close to WWTPs. De facto reuse is indicated as widespread, with several key areas identified in which extractions are from impacted surface water bodies. This study represents a first attempt to directly link TWW emissions to agricultural irrigation, highlighting a mechanism by which wastewater-associated contaminants can propagate through the hydrological system.

Presence and Natural Treatment of Organic Micropollutants and their Risks after 100 Years of Incidental Water Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation

The aim of the research was to show the presence of micropollutants contained in the wastewater of Mexico City within the distribution canals of the Mezquital Valley (MV), as well as their retention in agricultural soil and aquifers. This system constitutes the world’s oldest and largest example of the use of untreated wastewater for agricultural irrigation. The artificial recharge associated with the MV aquifers, with groundwater extracted for human consumption showing its importance as a water resource for Mexico City. The results of sampling show the presence of 18 compounds, with 10 of these considered as endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs). The concentration of these pollutants ranged from 2 ng/L for 17 β-estradiol to 99 ng/L for DEHP, with these values decreasing throughout the course of the canals due to the wastewater dilution factor, their retention in agricultural soil, and their accumulation in the local aquifer. The main mechanisms involved in natural attenuation are adsorption, filtration, and biodegradation. Drinking water equivalent levels (DWELs) were estimated for 11 compounds with regard to acceptable daily intakes (ADIs), by assuming local exposure parameters for a rural Mexican population. These were compared with the maximum groundwater concentrations (Cgw) to screen the potential risks. The very low ratios of Cgw to DWELs indicate no appreciable human health risk from the presence of trace concentrations of these compounds in the source of drinking water in the MV. Despite this, far from being exceeded after more than 100 years of irrigation with residual water, the natural soil attenuation seems to remain stable.

Recommendations to derive quality standards for chemical pollutants in reclaimed water intended for reuse in agricultural irrigation

The reuse of treated municipal wastewater (herein referred to as reclaimed water) in agricultural irrigation (RWAI) as a means to alleviate water scarcity is gaining increasing policy attention, particularly in areas where water demand mitigation measures have proved insufficient. However, reclaimed water reuse in practice is lagging behind policy ambition, with <2.5% of it reused in a European context. A key barrier identified as limiting its full valorisation is concern over its impact on human and environmental health. To address this concern, and to meet further objectives including achieving parity between current reclaimed water reuse guidelines operational in various Member States, the European Commission has proposed a regulation which identifies minimum quality requirements (MQR) for a range of microbiological and physico-chemical parameters but the inclusion of compounds of emerging concern (CECs) in terms of the determination of quality standards (QS) is missing. This paper reviews the existing pertinent EU legislation in terms of identifying the need for CEC QS for RWAI, considering the scope and remit of on-going pan-European chemicals prioritisation schemes. It also evaluates opportunities to link in with the existing EQS derivation methodology under the EU WFD to address all protection targets in the environmental compartments exposed via potential pathways of RWAI. Finally, it identifies the main data gaps and research needs for terrestrial ecosystems, the removal efficiency of CECs by WWTPs and transformation products generated during the wastewater reuse cycle.

Monitoring Opportunistic Pathogens in Domestic Wastewater from a Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Biofilm Reactor to Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation

Wastewater reuse for agricultural irrigation in many developing countries is an increasingly common practice. Regular monitoring of indicators can help to identify potential health risks; therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the presence and abundance of opportunistic pathogens in wastewater, as well as plant phyllosphere and rhizosphere. In this study, an anaerobic biofilm reactor (ABR) was developed to treat rural domestic wastewater; the performance of pollutants removal and pathogenic bacteria elimination were investigated. Additionally, we also assessed the physicochemical and microbiological profiles of soil and lettuces after wastewater irrigation. Aeromonas hydrophila, Arcobacter sp., Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides sp., Escherichia coli, Legionella sp., and Mycobacterium sp. were monitored in the irrigation water, as well as in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere of lettuces. Pathogens like B. cereus, Legionella sp. and Mycobacterium sp. were present in treated effluent with relatively high concentrations, and the levels of A. hydrophila, Arcobacter sp., and E. coli were higher in the phyllosphere. The physicochemical properties of soil and lettuce did not vary significantly. These data indicated that treated wastewater irrigation across a short time period may not alter the soil and crop properties, while the pathogens present in the wastewater may transfer to soil and plant, posing risks to human health.

Electrocoagulation process for the treatment of real textile wastewater: Effect of operative conditions on the organic carbon removal and kinetic study

In situ treated real textile wastewater was subjected to electrocoagulation for reuse in agricultural irrigation The effect of several parameters such as electrode type (Al and Fe), current density (12.5–100mA/cm2), initial pH (5–10), and electrocoagulation time (0–120min) were investigated to determine the optimum electrocoagulation condition. Monopolar electrodes connected in parallel were used for all experiments. The performance of the experiments was mainly evaluated using the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal. The Al electrode, 25mA/cm2 of current density and a pH=5 was selected as the optimum conditions. Under these conditions 42.5% TOC, 18.6% chemical oxygen demand (COD), 83.5% turbidity, 64.7% of the total suspended solids, and 90.3–94.9% color removal efficiencies were achieved. The operating cost was calculated by considering the energy and electrode consumption and evaluated as 1.5 $/m 3 of treated wastewater. The electrocoagulation reaction followed the second order reaction kinetics.

Evaluation of phytotoxicity of effluents from activated sludge and constructed wetland system for wastewater reuse.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytotoxicity of wastewater treated with horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetlands (CWs) and activated sludge (AS) system using disinfection treatment such chlorination and ultraviolet (UV) system. To assess the impact of the reuse of different effluents (HSSF-Cl, HSSF-UV, AS-Cl and AS-UV), bioassays using seeds of Raphanus sativus (R. sativus) and Triticum aestivum (T. aestivum), were performed on both Petri dishes and soil. Different treated wastewater concentrations were varied (6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, 50% and 100%) and the percentage of germination inhibition (PGI), percentage of epicotyl elongation (PEE) and germination index (GI) were determined. Positive effects (PGI and PEE <0% and GI >80%) of HSSF-Cl, HSSF-UV, AS-Cl and AS-UV effluents on germination and epicotyl elongation of R. sativus and T. aestivum were observed in Petri dishes bioassays. However, toxic effects of HSSF-Cl, HSSF-UV and AS-Cl on seeds germination and epicotyl elongation of both plant species were detected in soil samples (PGI and PEE >0% and GI <80%). Only R. sativus seeds to be irrigated with AS-UV achieved GI values above 86% for all concentrations evaluated. These results indicated that AS-UV effluent had a positive effect on seeds germination and can be recommended for treated wastewater reuse in agricultural irrigation.