Effects of domestic wastewater treated by anaerobic stabilization on soil pollution, plant nutrition, and cotton crop yield

Abstract

This study has aimed to determine the effects of treated wastewater on cotton yield and soil pollution in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey during 2011 and 2012. The treated wastewater was provided from the reservoir operated as anaerobic stabilization. After treatment, suspended solids (28-60 mg/l), biological oxygen demand (29-30 mg/l), and chemical oxygen demand (71-112 mg/l) decreased significantly compared to those in the wastewater. There was no heavy metal pollution in the water used. There were no significant amounts of coliform bacteria, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli compared to untreated wastewater. The cottonseed yield (31.8 g/plant) in the tanks where no commercial fertilizers were applied was considerably higher compared to the yield (17.2 g/plant) in the fertilized tanks where a common nitrogenous fertilizer was utilized. There were no significant differences between the values of soil pH. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) after the experiment increased from 0.8-1.0 to 0.9-1.8 dS/m. Heavy metal pollution did not occur in the soil and plants, because there were no heavy metals in the treated wastewater. It can be concluded that treated domestic wastewater could be used to grow in a controlled manner crops, such as cotton, that would not be used directly as human nutrients.

Irrigation with Wastewater and K Fertilization Ensure the Yield and Quality of Coloured Cotton in a Semiarid Climate

“…However, the total nutrients supplied by the wastewater may not be enough to meet the crop demand in terms of high productivity and quality. For example, some reports state that irrigation with wastewaters and K fertilization improves the quality of white-cotton fibre [17][18][19][20]. However, there is no evidence of these beneficial effects for coloured cotton cultivars.…”

Chemical Waste and Allied Products

“…The concentrations of Mn, Ni, Mo, Cd, and Pb in the vegetable samples of both study sites were higher than maximum permissible limits. Uzen et al (2016) reported the effect of treated wastewater on cotton yield and soil pollution in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey during 2011 and 2012. Treated domestic wastewater could be used to grow crops, such as cotton, that would not be used directly as human nutrients.…”

Prediction of Crop Yields under a Changing Climate

“…The decline in food production corresponding to reduction in crop yields can be investigated using statistical models [3,4]. While climate related factors can affect yield of crop, there are other externalities that can impact on yield production that include the quality of soil, usage of commercial fertilizers or organic manures and residual effects of chemical substances in soils [5,6].…”