Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF CITY SEWAGE WASTEWATER IRRIGATION ON THE NUTRIENT AND HEAVY METAL STATUS OF SOIL AND CROPS

NA

Abstract

In India, city sewage and industrial effluents are being judiciously used for enhancing the productivity of crops but this practice usually results in the accumulation of toxic substances in the soil and also in the crops. Keeping this view in mind, a pot experiment was conducted to study the nutrient and heavy metal status of soil, irrigant (city sewage wastewater); legumes and oleferous seeds. Physico-chemical characteristics of sewage wastewater met the irrigation quality requirements and were within the permissible limits vide FAO’S water quality guidelines. However, some heavy metals viz., Mn, Co, Cu, Cr and Cd exceeded the corresponding permissible limits. As such, the soil and various vegetative organs and the seeds showed the higher concentration of heavy metal.