Impact of Reclaimed Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metal Contamination in Soil and Vegetables

하수처리수의 농업용수 재이용이 토양 및 작물의 중금속 함량에 미치는 영향 분석

In this study, the effects of reclaimed wastewater irrigation on the concentration of heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium, and copper in soil and vegetables were investigated by monitoring an experimental area irrigated with reclaimed wastewater. Three treatments and three replications on $10{\times}2$-m plots were installed and heavy metal concentrations in soil and vegetables were monitored from 2005 to 2007. The treatments applied in this study were groundwater irrigation (control treatment), wastewater irrigation, and irrigation with filtered reclaimed wastewater treated with ultraviolet light. The monitored results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Pb in soil during the experimental period were lower than initial soil levels before irrigation, whereas Zn increased in all treatment plots. However, the ranges of Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb in soil were below the soil pollution standards in the Republic of Korea. Heavy metal concentrations in vegetables showed insignificant variations for all treatments.