Skip to main content

Impact of sewage contaminated water on soil, vegetables, and underground water of peri-urban Peshawar, Pakistan

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 184, pages 6411–6421 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

The use of sewage-contaminated municipal water for irrigation of crops is an old practice in many big cities of Pakistan. Since the wastewater is rich in nutrients, it increases crops yield substantially but at the cost of food quality. The objective of this study was to investigate sewage water irrigation as a source of accumulation of heavy metals in soil and its subsequent transfer to crops and underground water. Sewage water, soil, groundwater, and crop samples were collected from selected areas around Peshawar city and analyzed for heavy metals concentration by atomic absorption spectroscopic method. Analysis of data revealed a considerable impact of the irrigation practices in the peri-urban Peshawar. Statistical analysis of the data showed a positive correlation between heavy metals concentration and soil carbon contents on the one hand and cation exchange capacity on the other. A strongly negative correlation was observed between metal contents and soil pH. The vertical movement of heavy metals from contaminated soil has polluted crops and underground water. The results indicated higher concentration of toxic metals in soil accumulated due to long-term sewage-contaminated water irrigation and their subsequent transfer to our food chain. The practice, if continued un-noticed may pose a threat of phytotoxicity to the local population.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  • Allen, S. E., Grimshaw, H. M., & Rowland, A. P. (1986). In P. D. Moore & S. B. Chapman (Eds.), Methods in plant ecology: chemical analysis (pp. 285–344). London: Blackwell Scientific Publication, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Awashthi, S. K. (2000). Prevention of Food Adulteration Act No 37 of 1954, State rules as amended for 1999 (3rd ed.). New Delhi: Ashoka Law House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosnic, M., Buljan, J., Daniels, R. P. (2000). Pollutants in tannery effluents. UNIDO Regional program for pollution control in tanning industry in South-East, US/RAS/92/120.

  • Buljan, J. (1996). Pollution limits for discharge of tannery effluents into water bodies and severs. World Leather Journal, 9, 65–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butt, M. S., Sharif, K., & Bajwa, B. E. (2005). Hazardous effects of sewage water on the environment focus on heavy metals and chemical composition of soil and vegetables. Management of Environmental Quality, 16, 338–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dehri, G. S., Brar, M. S., & Malhi, S. S. (2007). Heavy metal concentration of sewage-contaminated water and its impact on underground water, soil and crop plants in alluvial soils of northwestern India. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 38, 1353–1370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghafoor, A., Rauf, A., Arif, M., & Muzaffar, W. (1994). Chemical composition of effluents from different industries of the Faisalabad city. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research, 31, 367–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groten, J. P., & Vanbladeren, P. (1994). Cadmium bioavailability and health risk in food. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 5(2), 50–55. doi:10.1016/0924-2244(94)90071-X.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, A. P., Antil, R. S., Singh, A. (1986). Composition of some sewer waters and their effect on soil properties. In proceedings of National Seminar on Monitoring and Control of Environmental Pollution, Chandigarh, Punjab, India, 419–425.

  • Iannelli, M. A., Pietrini, F., Flore, L., Petrilli, L., & Massacci, A. (2002). Antioxidant response to cadmium in Phragmites australis plants. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 40(11), 977–982. doi:10.1016/S0981-9428(02)01455-9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamali, M. K., Kazi, T. G., Arain, M. B., Afridi, H. I., Jalbani, N., & Memon, A. R. (2007a). Heavy metal contents of vegetables grown in soil irrigated with mixtures of waste water and sewage sludge in Pakistan, using ultrasonic-assisted pseudo-digestion. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 193(3), 218–228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamali, M. K., Kazi, T. G., Arain, M. B., Afridi, H. I., Jalbani, N., Memon, A. R., & Shah, A. (2007b). Heavy metals from soil and domestic sewage sludge and their transfer to Sorghum plants. Environmental Chemistry Letters. doi:10.1007/s10311-007-0101-6.

  • Khawaja, M. A., Nasreen, S. (1989). Studies on effluents from tanneries/leather industries around Charsada- Peshawar areas (N.W.F.P). Proceedings of 5th National Chemistry Conference.

  • Khawaja, M. A., Rasool, M. J., Faiz, M., Irshad, A. (1995). Survey of tannery and leather products manufacturing units in N.W.F.P. Environmental Protection Agency, Government of N.W.F.P.

  • Lone, M. I., Rizwan, M., (1997). Evolution of industrial effluents for irrigation and their effect on soil and chemical properties. Environmental Pollution. Islamabad, Pakistan, p.269–280, Proc. NSMTCC 97.

  • Lone, M. I., Saleem, S., Mahmood, T., Saifullah, K., & Hussain, G. (2003). Heavy metal contents of vegetables irrigated by sewage/tube well water. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 5(4), 533–535.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mapanda, F., Mangwayana, E. N., Nyamangara, J., & Giller, K. E. (2005). The effect of long term irrigation using wastewater on heavy metal contents of soils under vegetables in Harare, Zimbabwe. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 107, 151–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nan, Z., Li, J., Zhang, C., & Cheng, G. (2002). Cadmium and zinc interaction and their transfer in soil-crop system under actual field conditions. Science of the Total Environment, 285, 187–195.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, M. A. (1992). Soil and human health: a review. European Journal of Soil Science, 48, 573–592. Hayes, A.W., 1984. Principals and Methods in Toxicology. New York. Raven Press.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puri, A. N. (1930). A new method for estimating total carbonates in soils. Imperial Agriculture Research Pusa Bulletin, 206, 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rattan, R. K., Dutta, S. P., Chandra, S., & Saharaan, N. (2002). Heavy metals in environments—Indian scenario. Fertile News, 47, 21–40.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rauser, W. E. (1990). Phytochelatins. Annual Review of Biochemistry, 59(1), 61–86. doi:10.1146/annurev.bi.59.070190.000425.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, L.A. (1954). Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkaline soils: USDA Handbook No. 60; USDA (ed.), Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

  • Saadia, R. T., Munir, H. S., Shaheen, N., Khalique, A., Manzoor, S., & Jaffar, M. (2006). Multivariate analysis of trace metal levels in tannery effluents in relation to soil and water; a case study from Peshawar, Pakistan. Journal of Environmental Management, 79, 20–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadiq, H. (1989). Tannery effluents treatment and strategy in Pakistan. Pakistan Leather Trade Journal, 16, 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Setia, K., Kawatra, B. L., Hira, C. K., Mann, S. K., Bennink, M., Dhaliwat, G. S., Arora, R., Randhawa, N. S., & Dhawan, A. K. (1998). Consumption of heavy metals by adult women in sewage and tube well irrigated areas. Ecological Agriculture and Sustainable Development, 2, 677–683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, D. C., Srevastava, P. C., John, B. N., & Chandra, P. (1996). Environmental impact of tannery effluent on heavy metal phytotoxicity and health hazards. Journal of Industrial Pollution Control, 12, 139–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivkumar, K., & Biksham, C. (1995). Statistical approach for the assessment of water pollution around industrial areas. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 36(3), 229–249.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tiwana, N. S., Panesar, R. S., Kansal, B. D. (1987). Characterization of waste water of highly industrialized city of Punjab. Proc. National Seminar. Impact of environmental protection of future development of India, Nainital, 1, 119–126.

  • Walkley, A., & Black, C. A. (1934). An examination of Degtjareff method of determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science, 37, 29–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (1997). Guideline for drinking water quality, health criteria and other supporting information (1, Vol. 2). Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

Laboratory facilities provided by Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture, Peshawar are gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

    Hidayat Ullah

  2. Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Ikhtiar Khan

  3. Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Ihsan Ullah

Authors
  1. Hidayat Ullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ikhtiar Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ihsan Ullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hidayat Ullah.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ullah, H., Khan, I. & Ullah, I. Impact of sewage contaminated water on soil, vegetables, and underground water of peri-urban Peshawar, Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 184, 6411–6421 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2429-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2429-4

Keywords

  • Heavy metals
  • Irrigation
  • Sewage water
  • Soil
  • Vegetables
  • Transfer factor