Effect of Diluted Effluent on Soil Properties. and Plant Growth

Advanced Studies in Biology, Vol. 1, 2009, no. 8, 391-398 Effect of Diluted Effluent on Soil Properties and Plant Growth P. Babyshakila Department of Bio-chemistry Rev. Jacob Memorial Christian College Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu, India babyshakila_06@yahoo.co.in K. Usha Department of Bio-chemistry and Bio-Technology Avinashilingam University Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Management of tannery effluent effectively is the need of the hour. Rapid growth of industries in par with the threatening population lasted to the high discharge of industrial wastewater spoiling ground water quality, soil and vegetation in that area. In this study tannery effluent was collected at intervals and physico chemical properties were analysed. Red and black soils were collected and characteristed. The soil was treated with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% concentrated of effluent. Plant vigna radiata was grown in control soil without effluent and also in effluent contaminated soils in triplicates. Biometric observations and biochemical parameters were analysed in 30 th 60 th and 90 th day samples. Grains were also analysed for biochemical parameters. Results showed that effluent could be used for effective plant growth in a lower concentration. Mathematics Subject Classification: 92C40, 92C80 Keywords: tannery effluent, Vigna radiate 1.1 INTRODUCTION The ever increasing pressure of over exploitation of natural resources has affected severely the quality of environment. (Sandeep, 2000) Environmental pollution is becoming

392 P. Babyshakila and K. Usha the global problem in which pollution is an important issue as water is used directly for various purposes. Over the last few decades a large scale usage of chemicals in various human activities has grown very fast, particularly in country like India, which has to go for rapid industrialization in order to sustain over growing large problem in area of health and sanitation. Several carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds are found in human environment (Naik et al, 2007) Majority of industries are water based and a considerable volume of waste water is discharged to the environment either treated or inadequately treated leading to the problem of surface and ground water pollution. The capital costs and operating wastewater treatment system are rising on one Land and on the other is pressing demand for the treatment of wastewater generated by increased residential and industrial development. In recent years there has been an increased interest in alternative and innovative technologies which will prone to be low cost, low maintance and energy efficient (Abrami et al, 2005). Leather industry world over is coming under pressure from environmental regulations to comply with pollution and discharge legislation. The prime stages in leather processing are curing, soaking, liming, detaining, bating, picking, degreasing and tanning. The discharges and refuges disposed from all these processing stages in leather production causes severe health hazards and environmental problems to the entire ecosystems (Choudhry et al, 2004). The release of these heavy metals poses a significant threat to the environment and public health because of their toxicity, bioaccumulation in the food chain and persistence in nature (Ceribasi and yetis, 2001). Heavy metals can pose health hazards if their concentration exceed allowable limits (Shpasyk and parpan, 2004). The treatment process of industrial waste water like reduction, chemical precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, ion floatation, evaporation, adsorption settling and clarification are some of the methods to remove heavy metals (Gupta et al, 1999 Raj, 2004, Shyamala and lalitha, 2004). Tannery waste contain high concentration of salts and chromium. These wastes had resulted in severe pollution of soil and water in Vellore and Dindigul district of tamilnadu (Mahimairaja et al, 2000). 2. Experimental procedure Tannery effluent was collected from selected leather processing industry in Dindigul at regular intervals and the effluent is stored at 4 c for all analysis. The collected tannery effluent was analysed for physico chemical properties. The parameters analysed are EC, hardness, TSS, TDS, BOD, Carbonate, Ca, Mg, Cl, Na, K, NO3, N, Cr, Zn, Ni and Cd. In the next phase soil samples were collected and analysied for ph, Ec, Na, N, P, Ca, Mg, Cr, Zn, Fe and Cu. These parameters were tested in control soil samples and effluent contaminated soil samples. In the third phase of study seeds of vigna radiata are collected form TNAU, CBE. Soil, sand and compost are mixed and packed in polytheone bags for the growth of the plant under investigation. Plants were grown in triplicates in the following groups.

Effect of diluted effluent on soil properties 393 - no effluent A - 25% concentrated effluent B - 50% concentrated effluent C - 75% concentrated effluent D - 100% concentrated effluent Growth was continued for 90 days till grains were produced. Bio chemical observations like chlorophyll, starch, protein, vitamin C, chromium, zinc, nickel, and cadmium were analysed in 30 th, 60 th and 90 th days after sowing. Leaf samples were taken on 30 th, 60 th and 90 th day plants and grains which were produced were also analysed for the above said parameters. 3. Results and discussion Table 1 shows the results of physio chemical analysis of the tannery effluent. It is found that it has a high TSS, TDS, total hardness, carbonate and bicarbonate than the permissible limits. BOD, COD, Cl, Na, K, Ca, Mg, SO3, N and No3 are also increased along with chromium, nickel zinc and cadmium. Mondal et al, 2005, have reported that sodium chloride is used as raw material in tanneries, hence high concentration of chloride and nitrate as the end product of oxidation of nitrogen (Jain and sharma, 2000). Untreated effluent of industries producing nitrogenous material may also contribute significantly to an increase of the nitrate (Khan et al, 2003). Rajan and Mano, 2007 reported that chemicals such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate sodium chloride and calcium chloride based in tanning causes the alkalization of that soil resulting in the increase in ph of the soil. Table 2 shows the analysed results of control and effluent contaminated red and black soil, Sodium potassium, nitrogen, calcium and metals like Cr, Fe, Zn Cu were found high in contaminated soil than the control ones which does not contain tannery effluent. Addition of treated effluent to the soil affects the physical proprties of the soil by increasing the bulk density and decreasing the hydraulic conduction and porosity (Rani perumal and singaram,(1996). Table 3 shows the chloropyll and starch content of the plants grown. The results of protein and ascorbic acid contents in control and effluent treated plants are shown in table 4. It was found that the bio chemical constituents were high in plants treated with 25% concentrated effluent compared to 50% and 75% concentrated effluent. But the concentration of heavy metals like Cr, Zn, Ni, Cd was very high in plants treated with 75% concentrated effluent than others. Therewas a significant increase in metal concentration in the leaves of vigna radiata as the concentration of effluent increased in soils (Table 5, 6). Burman et al (2000) studied the accumulation of metals in the economically important crops and vegetables irrigated with tannery wastewater. They have reported that the accumulation of metal from soil to plant parts will not follow any particular pattern and

394 P. Babyshakila and K. Usha varied with respect to metal, species and plant parts Bishnol et al, (1991) have reported that the diluted effluent could be used as a liquid fertilizer. Hence, in the above study its suggested that tannery effluent shall be used for irrigation at a lower concentration. Table : 1 Physico chemical charactertics of tannery effluent Parameter Sample Colour Brown Odour Offenssive Turbidity Turbid PH 10-5 Total hardness 5400 Electrical conductivity mho/cm 24500 Total suspended solids * 258 Total dissolved solids * 17150 Chemical oxygen demand * 318 Biological oxygen demand * 35 Chromium * 193 Zinc * 108 Nickel * 5.5 Cadmium * 4.2 Parameter Sample Carbonate * 10423 Bicarbonate * 1440 Calcium * 432 Magnesium * 5100 Chloride * 2300 Sodium * 600 Floride * 10 Nitrate * 440 Nitrite * 0.07 Sulphate * 1080 Nitrogen * 0.99 * - Values in mg/l Table : 2 Results of control and effluent contaminated soils Parameters PH EC (ms) Sodium mg/kg Magnesium mg/kg Chromium mg/kg Zinc mg/kg Copper mg/kg Nitrogen (kg/ha) Potassium (kg/ha) Phosphorous mg/kg Calcium % Iron % Red soil With effluent 8.05 0.32 122.02 175.41 22.01 18.22 15.86 95.26 474.03 8.57 1.25 0.086 8.75 0.43 52.03 140.32 93.52 29.05 62.86 98.03 650.08 14.06 2.38 0.238 Black soil With effluent 7.15 0.19 32.00 18.33 15.52 8.72 4.86 66.82 149.67 4.25 0.45 0.062 7.29 0.87 28.82 15.87 48.72 11.83 19.62 73.89 378.21 8.21 0.63 0.209

Effect of diluted effluent on soil properties 395 Table : 3 A B C D Chlorophyll and starch content of vigna radiata Chlorphyll mg/g Starch mg/g 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day R B R B R B R B R B R B 0.48 0.40 0.37 0.31 0.22 0.20 0.83 0.74 1.12 0.96 2.23 1.24 1 4 2 2 1 1 0.76 0.66 0.95 0.82 2.02 1.03 0.41 0.38 0.30 0.25 0.18 0.16 0.51 0.47 0.76 0.64 1.74 0.86 1 9 9 0.20 9 5 0.32 0.25 0.46 0.45 0.95 0.51 0.32 6.29 0.21 4 0.10 0.09 - - - - - - 1 3 2 0.08 6 5 0.10 0.09 0.08 4 0.06 0.06 5 5 5-3 4 - - - - - Cd (0.05) 0.00679 0.04810 Values are mean of triplicates R red soil B- black soil A B C Table : 4 Protein and ascorbic content of vignaradiata Protein (mg/g) Ascorbic acid (mg/g) 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day R B R B R B R B R B R B 3.8 3.1 4.7 4.2 5.2 4.9 3.4 2.9 4.5 3.7 5.4 4.8 3.1 2.7 4.1 3.8 4.8 4.0 2.5 2.2 3.7 3.3 5.3 3.9 2.0 1.8 2.9 2.2 3.2 2.9 1.8 1.4 2.9 2.4 4.8 3.3 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 2.0 1.7 0.7 0.6 1.0 0.9 1.99 1.0 Cd (0.05) 0.04507 0.05460 Values are mean of triplicates R red soil B- black soil

396 P. Babyshakila and K. Usha A B C Table : 5 Chromium and zinc levels in vigna radiata Chromium mg/g Zinc mg/g 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day R B R B R B R B R B R B 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.3 2.2 2.4 1.3 2.8 3.7 4.7 5.2 7.3 0.9 1.0 2.2 2.5 3.5 3.8 3.8 4.2 5.9 6.7 8.2 9.8 1.5 1.8 3.4 3.8 4.2 4.9 4.7 5.7 7.0 7.8 9.2 10.15 2.2 2.5 4.6 4.9 5.6 5.8 7.2 8.9 9.7 10.3 12.0 13.3 Cd (0.05) 0.08315 0.09506 Values are mean of triplicates R red soil B- black soil A B C Table : 6 Cadmium and nickel levels in vigna radiata Nickel mg/g Cadmium mg/g 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day 30 th day 60 th day 90 th day R B R B R B R B R B R B 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.6 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.6 1.3 2.1 1.9 2.8 2.2 3.2 3.5 4.6 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.9 2.9 3.9 3.9 4.6 4.0 5.7 2.0 2.5 3.7 3.9 4.9 4.9 Cd (0.05) 0.05274 0.04883 Values are mean of triplicates R red soil B- black soil Table : 7 Biochemical parameters of 90 th day grain of vigna radiata Starch Mg/g Protein Mg/g Ascorbic acid mg/g Chromium mg/g Zinc mg/g Nickel Mg/g Cedmium Mg/g 25% 50% 95% R B R B R B R B R B R B R B 1.0 4.0 3.7 0.320.2 0.28 0.5 0.5 0.9 1.0 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.8 3.2 2.4 2 0.23 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 0.9 1.0 0.8 NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG 1.8 1.2 NG NG 0.6 0.9 NG NG Values are mean of triplicates R red soil B- black soil NG No grains

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