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Low-frequency electromagnetic treatment of oilfield produced water for reuse in agriculture: effect on water quality, germination, and plant growth

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Abstract

Competing demand for high-quality fresh water for agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses has placed tremendous stress on water resources; irrigating crops with fresh water is expensive and unsustainable. Using unconventional water sources such as oilfield produced water (PW) and treating PW with physical treatment methods such as electromagnetic treatment may overcome water-limitation challenges. A germination experiment was conducted using treated and untreated PW to examine the effect on the germination of iron and clay cowpeas (ICCs) since germination is the stage at which plants are most sensitive to external factors and stresses. The results from the study showed that ICCs germinated when irrigated with higher salinity water that was treated using the electromagnetic technology. A plant growth study was also conducted to assess the effect of electromagnetic treatment of high-salinity PW on the growing ability and crop health of ICCs. A reduction in leaf area expansion rate, the first indicator of salt stress on plants, was observed. After 14 days, plants showed early signs of salt stress such as wilting, lightening in color, and reduction in leaf area. After 28 days, plants watered with higher salinity PW (21,475–42,950 mg/L total dissolved solids) died and plants watered with lower salinity PW (< 21,475 mg/L total dissolved solids) survived but grew smaller than plants irrigated using fresh water. Results from both experiments suggested a potential total dissolved solids limit of ICCs or electromagnetic technology (or both) between 4000 and 10,000 mg/L. The results further suggested that while the electromagnetic technology did not have a strong effect on plant growth, high-salinity water might be treated for reuse in agriculture.

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Acknowledgements

Charisma Lattao, Chathuri Wickramaratne, and Michael Champ are acknowledged for their guidance and helpful comments.

Funding

Transglobal H2o, LLC, the NSF GK-12 program, Houston Endowment, TCEQ, and USEPA funded this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, N138, Engineering Building 1, 4726 Calhoun, Houston, TX, 77204-4003, USA

    Emily N. Sappington & Hanadi S. Rifai

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  1. Emily N. Sappington
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  2. Hanadi S. Rifai
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Correspondence to Hanadi S. Rifai.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Sappington, E.N., Rifai, H.S. Low-frequency electromagnetic treatment of oilfield produced water for reuse in agriculture: effect on water quality, germination, and plant growth. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 34380–34391 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3343-x

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