Analysis of Water Quality and Soil Environment in Paddy Fields Partially Irrigated with Untreated Wastewater

• 한국농공학회지 Volume 56 Issue 6 Pages.19-29 2014

Jung Hun Song, Hanseok Jeong, Jihoon Park, Inhong Song
 
The objectives of this study were to monitor and analyse water quality and soil property in paddy fields where untreated wastewater is irrigated. Three paddy fields where streamflow mixed with untreated wastewater has been irrigated (untreated wastewater district, UWD) were selected for monitoring, and five paddy fields in Yongin area (Yongin district, YID) where water from Idong agricultural reservoir (well-managed) has been irrigated were selected for comparative evaluation. Electronic conductivity (EC), suspended solids (SS), total nitrogen (T-N), total phosphorous (T-P), NO3-N, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), and E. coli of the irrigation water in the UWD were significantly higher than those in the YID. Relatively high concentrations of EC, T-N, T-P, TC, FC, E. coli, copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and aluminium (Al) were shown in the irrigation water of the UWD especially during May to June. In general, the paddy soil in the UWD contained more Pb, Zn, and Cu than in the YID although the soil heavy metal contents in the UWD still meet the Korean soil contamination warning standards. No temporal trends in the heavy metal concentrations were found in paddy soils of the UWD. This study showed that the use of untreated wastewater to paddy fields has the possibility of negative impacts on water quality and soil, although long-term monitoring is needed to fully evaluate its effects.

https://doi.org/10.5389/KSAE.2014.56.6.019