DefinePK

Abstract

Wastewater is used as an alternate source of irrigation in densely populated areas all over the world. Unfortunately, untreated wastewater when used to irrigate the crops becomes a source of trace elements contamination to soils and crops and can cause severe health effect on animals and humans. The present study was designed to evaluate the long term application of wastewater on trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, and Zn) accumulation in soil and edible and non-edible parts of sugarcane. Samples of soil, sugarcane root, shoot and leaf irrigated with uncontaminated water (clean water) and untreated wastewater (industrial+municipal) were collected in triplicate and analyzed for total Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, and Zn content with ICP-MS and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results of this study show that electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of uncontaminated water were 490µS/cm and 245ppm and wastewater ranged from 790 to 3550 µS/cm and 396-1775ppm. The salinity of wastewater ranged from 0.2 to 0.8. Cadmium and Co was present at very low concentration in uncontaminated and wastewater. Chromium, Cu and Zn in wastewater ranged from 1.07-4.62, 0.19-10 and 0.078-0.197 mL per L. Chromium and Cu exceed the safe limit in wastewater. The concentration of such elements in wastewater remained in the safe limit for crops. Soils irrigated with wastewater was likely to exceed the safe limits of Cr and Cu once irrigated with wastewater. Sugarcane root shows no accumulation of any of the trace elements. Bio-concentration factor or plant concentration factor (BCF or PCF) of Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn was less than 1 in all soils irrigated with wastewater. Whereas BCF and PCF of Co was more than 1 in soil irrigated with uncontaminated water (soil A) and soil irrigated with wastewater (soil B).