Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development

There is a growing need to reclaim wastewater for agricultural use due to freshwater limitation. Integrating macrophytes in vermifiltration improves the treatment efficiency. However, the effect of treated wastewater on seed germination and seedling development is not widely investigated. The study...

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Main Authors: Rapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi, Andrews Quashie, Ekua Afrakoma Armoo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IWA Publishing 2022-09-01
Series:Water Practice and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1849
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author Rapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi
Andrews Quashie
Ekua Afrakoma Armoo
author_facet Rapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi
Andrews Quashie
Ekua Afrakoma Armoo
author_sort Rapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi
collection DOAJ
description There is a growing need to reclaim wastewater for agricultural use due to freshwater limitation. Integrating macrophytes in vermifiltration improves the treatment efficiency. However, the effect of treated wastewater on seed germination and seedling development is not widely investigated. The study investigated the use of Pistia stratiotes in a macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration of domestic wastewater and assessed the effect on seed and seedling development of Zea mays, Triticum aestivum and Sorghum bicolor. Three irrigation treatments of water were applied: macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration (VP), no macrophyte vermifiltration (VM) and potable water (PW) as the control. Results showed that VP had a removal of 41–44% EC, 65–67% turbidity, 52–65% TDS, 67–70% TSS, 29–34% COD, 42–46% BOD, 67–70% N total, and 74–78% P available compared to VM. VP treatment reduced inhibition in the morphological, physiological and biochemical developments of seed and seedling growth. The use of macrophyte-vermifiltered wastewater significantly (p < 0.05) increased the percentage of germination and the radical length of all seed species increased as well. In terms of the seedling development, seedling mortalities were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced and more than 75% chlorophyll pigments estimations (Cɑ, Cɓ, Cɑ+ɓ and Cx+c) were identified in all seedling species when macrophyte-vermifiltered wastewater was used to irrigate. HIGHLIGHTS Vermifiltration of domestic wastewater integrated with macrophytes proved effective.; Pistia stratiote was suitable as a macrophyte in the water treatment process.; Treated wastewater indicated a potential water source for irrigation.; Water treatment reduced inhibition in seed growth and development.; Macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration of domestic wastewater revealed a sustainable domestic wastewater treatment technology.;
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spelling doaj.art-0d848271fe5f4253852a1ba7d130176e2022-12-22T04:34:02ZengIWA PublishingWater Practice and Technology1751-231X2022-09-011791849186510.2166/wpt.2022.092092Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling developmentRapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi0Andrews Quashie1Ekua Afrakoma Armoo2 Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Industrial Research, P. O. Box LG 576, Accra, Ghana Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Industrial Research, P. O. Box LG 576, Accra, Ghana There is a growing need to reclaim wastewater for agricultural use due to freshwater limitation. Integrating macrophytes in vermifiltration improves the treatment efficiency. However, the effect of treated wastewater on seed germination and seedling development is not widely investigated. The study investigated the use of Pistia stratiotes in a macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration of domestic wastewater and assessed the effect on seed and seedling development of Zea mays, Triticum aestivum and Sorghum bicolor. Three irrigation treatments of water were applied: macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration (VP), no macrophyte vermifiltration (VM) and potable water (PW) as the control. Results showed that VP had a removal of 41–44% EC, 65–67% turbidity, 52–65% TDS, 67–70% TSS, 29–34% COD, 42–46% BOD, 67–70% N total, and 74–78% P available compared to VM. VP treatment reduced inhibition in the morphological, physiological and biochemical developments of seed and seedling growth. The use of macrophyte-vermifiltered wastewater significantly (p < 0.05) increased the percentage of germination and the radical length of all seed species increased as well. In terms of the seedling development, seedling mortalities were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced and more than 75% chlorophyll pigments estimations (Cɑ, Cɓ, Cɑ+ɓ and Cx+c) were identified in all seedling species when macrophyte-vermifiltered wastewater was used to irrigate. HIGHLIGHTS Vermifiltration of domestic wastewater integrated with macrophytes proved effective.; Pistia stratiote was suitable as a macrophyte in the water treatment process.; Treated wastewater indicated a potential water source for irrigation.; Water treatment reduced inhibition in seed growth and development.; Macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration of domestic wastewater revealed a sustainable domestic wastewater treatment technology.;http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1849eisenia fetidapistia stratiotesseed germinationseedling developmentvermifiltrationwastewater
spellingShingle Rapheal Nsiah-Gyambibi
Andrews Quashie
Ekua Afrakoma Armoo
Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
Water Practice and Technology
eisenia fetida
pistia stratiotes
seed germination
seedling development
vermifiltration
wastewater
title Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
title_full Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
title_fullStr Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
title_full_unstemmed Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
title_short Wastewater reuse in agriculture: the effect of macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
title_sort wastewater reuse in agriculture the effect of macrophyte assisted vermifiltration treatment on seed germination and seedling development
topic eisenia fetida
pistia stratiotes
seed germination
seedling development
vermifiltration
wastewater
url http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1849
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AT ekuaafrakomaarmoo wastewaterreuseinagriculturetheeffectofmacrophyteassistedvermifiltrationtreatmentonseedgerminationandseedlingdevelopment