Domestic sewage wastewater irrigation in the semi‐urban ecosystem on soil physical–chemical properties and environmental food security perspectives of two vegetables

Abstract

AbstractNowadays, using domestic sewage wastewater for agricultural irrigation is becoming increasingly important for sustainable water resources management. Several national and international programs have been implemented to mitigate wastewater. However, it is important to ensure that these measures are affordable, effective, and sustainable. The aim of the present study is to determine, after all these mitigations, whether these domestic sewage wastewaters can be used as a potential irrigation source and at the same time ensure environmental food security. With these objectives, we analyzed the consequences of domestic sewage effluent irrigation on soil physical–chemical properties and nutritive and nutraceutical properties of cultivated green vegetables, Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. and Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl., in the semi‐urban ecosystem compared with well water irrigated crops in a rural area. The quality status of both well water irrigated and domestic sewage wastewater irrigated soil samples showed similar and/or comparable values, that is, domestic sewage wastewater irrigation does not harm the soil quality and both were comparable with the permissible limits of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) including heavy metal contents. And positively supporting the objective of our study, the nutrient status/proximate composition of both the vegetables in terms of protein, gross energy, carbohydrate, etc., were higher in domestic sewage wastewater irrigated crops compared with the well water irrigated crops. The antioxidant activity also exhibited a significant increase in the sewage wastewater irrigated crops rather than the well water irrigated ones. Hence the results of the present study state that due to the impact of the mitigation measures, domestic sewage wastewater is now pertinent to be used as an irrigation source and also a possible organic fertilizer without any ambiguity. Moreover, more field‐oriented studies may ensure the potential of wastewater irrigation for sustainable crop production without any pollution, particularly in a semi‐urban area.