Accumulation and translocation of eight trace metals by the different tissues of Abelmoschus esculentus Moench. irrigated with untreated wastewater

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 29; no. 15; pp. 21221 - 21231
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Dalia Abd El-Azeem, Galal, Tarek M., Al-Yasi, Hatim M., Hassan, Loutfy M., Slima, Dalia Fahmy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abelmoschus esculentus; Agricultural wastes; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioaccumulation; Cadmium; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chromium; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Heavy metals; Industrial wastes; Industrial wastewater; Iron; Irrigation; Lead; Manganese; Metals; Nickel; Nitrogen; Nutrients; Okra; Phosphorus; Photosynthesis; Photosynthetic pigments; Pigments; Research Article; Shoots; Soil nutrients; Soil water; Soils; Trace elements; Trace elements (nutrients); Trace metals; Translocation; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater; Wastewater irrigation; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water sampling; Water scarcity; Zinc; Wastewater irrigation; Biomass; Plant growth; Soil pollution; Trace metals
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17315-7

Due to water scarcity, the use of wastewater to irrigate crops is on the rise all over the world, including in Egypt (particularly untreated wastewater). The purpose of this study is to see if irrigation with untreated industrial wastewater in natural fields can cause Abelmoschus esculentus Moench. (okra plant) to accumulate and translocate eight trace metals (lead: Pb, cadmium: Cd, chromium: Cr, copper: Cu, iron: Fe, manganese: Mn, nickel: Ni, and zinc: Zn) in its different tissues. It was extended to look at the effects of wastewater irrigation on the farmed okra plants’ growth characteristics, nutrients, colors, and organic content. Two studied sites at South of Cairo have been investigated: the first site (29°42'31.17" N and 31°15'11.56" E) represented by five cultivated fields irrigated with Nile water (control) and the second site (29°42'37.87" N and 31°17'14.53" E) fields irrigated with effluent received untreated industrial wastewater. Three composite soil and irrigated water samples were collected from each site. Because of wastewater irrigation, soil and plant nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus) decreased significantly (at P < 0.01 ), whereas trace metals increased significantly (at P < 0.01 and P < 0.05) for soil and plant samples irrigated with untreated wastewater. Due to irrigation with untreated wastewater, there was also a significant decrease in okra growth metrics (at P < 0.05) and leaves photosynthetic pigments: chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids (at P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). In the plant’s fruits (edible section) watered with wastewater, iron was the most abundant metal. Besides, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn concentrations were also in the phytotoxic range (42.57, 140.67, 2756.67, 1293.33, 1326.67, and 877.83 mg kg -1 , respectively). All trace elements examined accumulate in the roots of wastewater irrigated okra (Bioaccumulation factor > 1). Okra plants, on the other hand, did not have an accumulated trace metals strategy in their shoots since the translocation factor was less than one. Because of substantial trace metal accumulation in their edible sections, the scientists advised against eating okra plants grown in fields watered with untreated wastewater.