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Impacts of Municipal Wastewater on Basic Soil Properties as Evaluated by Soil Column Leaching Experiment in Laboratory

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Abstract

Functional relationships between wastewater-induced predictors (e.g., organic carbon, OC) and amended soil properties are needed to develop pedo-transfer functions for wastewater-amended/-irrigated soils. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of municipal wastewater on soil health and develop functional relationships between wastewater-amended soil hydro-physico-chemical properties. The objectives were realized by conducting laboratory experiments on repacked columns of four typical agricultural soils. The soil columns, after primary settlement over 7 months, were conditioned by applying tap water over 6 months and then a typical quality wastewater in nine irrigations (total 90 cm, equivalent to irrigation requirement for three wheat seasons) over the next 8 months with an irrigation interval of 25 days. Each irrigation amounting 10 cm wastewater was applied in 5 days (2 cm d−1). Wastewater significantly (p < 0.05) elevated OC (13.85%) but reduced bulk density (3.73%) of the soils; bulk density decreased linearly with OC with a strong correlation (r2 = 0.90). The negative correlation between pore-size distribution index and clay content of the soils became significant (p < 0.05) after wastewater treatment. Plant available soil-water content increased linearly (r2 = 0.71) with increasing micro-porosity. The magnitudes of soil-properties change are however soil- and wastewater-type dependent functions. Municipal wastewater can be used to improve hydro-physico-chemical properties of soils and the strong functional relationships between wastewater-amended predictors (e.g., OC) and predictands (e.g., bulk density) can be used for designing and managing soil amendment and irrigation with wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

This study was done under the “VLIR-Own Initiatives” program with the Bangladesh Agricultural University at Mymensingh.

Funding

This study was funded by the Belgian Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGDC) through the “Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad” (VLIR; Flemish Interuniversity Council) (grant number ZEIN2005PR317).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh

    M.A. Mojid

  2. Irrigation and Water Management Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh

    A.B.M.Z. Hossain

  3. Division of Soil and Water Management, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestjnenlaan 200E, 30010, Heverlee-Leuven, Belgium

    G.C.L. Wyseure

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  1. M.A. Mojid
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  2. A.B.M.Z. Hossain
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  3. G.C.L. Wyseure
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Correspondence to M.A. Mojid.

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Mojid, M., Hossain, A. & Wyseure, G. Impacts of Municipal Wastewater on Basic Soil Properties as Evaluated by Soil Column Leaching Experiment in Laboratory. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 19, 402–412 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-019-00042-x

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