Treated Industrial Wastewater Effects on Chemical Constitution Maize Biomass, Physicochemical Soil Properties, and Economic Balance

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 319 - 333
• Main Authors: Carlos, Filipe Selau, Schaffer, Naihana, Andreazza, Robson, Morris, Lawrence A, Tedesco, Marino José, Boechat, Cácio Luiz, Camargo, Flávio Anastácio de Oliveira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 04-02-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agricultural economics; Agricultural production; Biomass; Chemical properties; Chemicophysical properties; Clay; Clay soils; Constitution; Copper; Corn; Cost benefit; Crop yield; Economic analysis; Feasibility studies; Industrial plants; Industrial wastes; Industrial wastewater; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Manganese; Mineral nutrients; nutrient; Nutrient balance; Nutrition; Plants (botany); Polyvinyl chloride; sodium; Soil; Soil degradation; Soil dispersion; Soil properties; Tissue; treated wastewater; Wastewater; Wastewater analysis; Wastewater irrigation; Wastewater treatment; Water treatment; Zea mays; Zinc
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2018.1427257

Irrigation with treated wastewaters can improve nutrient levels and yield of crops planted on degraded soils. This study evaluated how irrigation with treated industrial wastewater affected biomass production and nutrition of maize plants and physio-chemical properties of a degraded soil. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using PVC columns. Treatments consisted of 8 treatments irrigated with clean water and increasing doses of N and P, and 8 treatments with 4 proportions of wastewater irrigation (25%, 50%, 75% and 100% v/v). In general, maize biomass did not differ between irrigation water sources. Differences were largely associated with N nutrition. We observed increases in concentrations of N, P, K, S, Mn, Na, Cu, and Zn in tissue of maize under irrigation with wastewater. The addition of treated wastewater increased the P and Na concentrations, and EC values in the soil without affecting clay dispersion in water. An associated economic analysis indicated that wastewater irrigation would not be economically feasible without including environmental benefits. In southern Brazil, the proportion of irrigation water that is wastewater should not exceed 50%.