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Assessing environmental impacts of reclaimed wastewater irrigation in paddy fields using bioindicator

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Abstract

Irrigation water quality influences many aspects of agroecosystems, but less is known about how complex microbial and biological communities respond to changing water quality due to causes such as reuse irrigation. The objectives of this study are to monitor and assess the environmental impacts of reclaimed wastewater irrigation on water quality and soil that might cause potential health hazards and to assess its agro-environmental effects. Two sites, which are irrigated by filtered wastewater after UV (Ultraviolet) treatment and from an agricultural reservoir that satisfied the agricultural water quality standards of Korea, were selected as treatment and control, respectively. The environmental impacts of irrigation water quality on paddy soil, microorganisms, and arthropods were investigated. Monitoring results for water, soil, health risks, and eco-environments of the reclaimed wastewater irrigation site demonstrated no adverse effects in the paddy field. This research showed that reclaimed wastewater irrigation did not present significant environmental risks for the rice paddy agroecosystem, although long-term monitoring is needed to fully characterize its effects.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a grant (code# 4-5-3) from the Sustainable Water Resources Research Center of the twenty-first Century Frontier Research Program. The funding of this Research was also provided by the Technology Development Program for Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rural Construction Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Republic of Korea

    Taeil Jang

  2. Climate Change & Agroecology Division, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Suwon, 441-707, Republic of Korea

    Myungpyo Jung

  3. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-921, Republic of Korea

    Joonho Lee

  4. National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, 404-708, Republic of Korea

    Eunjeong Lee

  5. Department of Rural Systems Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-921, Republic of Korea

    Seongwoo Park & Hanseok Jeong

  6. Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-921, Republic of Korea

    Seongwoo Park, Joonho Lee & Hanseok Jeong

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  1. Taeil Jang
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  2. Myungpyo Jung
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  4. Seongwoo Park
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  5. Joonho Lee
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Correspondence to Myungpyo Jung.

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Communicated by K. Stone.

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Jang, T., Jung, M., Lee, E. et al. Assessing environmental impacts of reclaimed wastewater irrigation in paddy fields using bioindicator. Irrig Sci 31, 1225–1236 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-013-0401-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-013-0401-5

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