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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Phytotoxic effects of treated wastewater used for agricultural irrigation on root hydraulic conductivity and plant growth
ClearPhytotoxic Effects of Treated Wastewater Used for Agricultural Irrigation On Root Hydraulic Conductivity and Plant Growth
This study tested whether treated municipal wastewater used for crop irrigation harms plants, finding effects on root water transport and growth. Treated wastewater often contains microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals, and irrigating with it may be a pathway for these contaminants to enter food crops.
Uptake of Emerging Contaminants and Pathogens by Plants: Use and Impact of Wastewater
This review examines how emerging contaminants—including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and pathogens—are taken up by plants irrigated with treated wastewater. The authors find that plant uptake depends on root morphology, contaminant properties, and treatment level, and conclude that risks to food safety from wastewater reuse remain insufficiently characterized.
Effects of Irrigation Water Sources on Soil Fertility, Heavy Metal Accumulation in both Soil and Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Scientists found that rice grown with sewage water contains higher levels of heavy metals like cadmium, which can be harmful if eaten regularly. While this wastewater helps crops grow better by adding nutrients to soil, the toxic metals that build up in the rice could pose health risks to people who eat it. This research shows we need better monitoring of crops grown with recycled wastewater to keep our food supply safe.
Biological Risks of Waste Water for Irrigation
This study examined the biological risks of using treated wastewater for irrigation, including contamination by pathogens, heavy metals, and microplastics, and the implications for agricultural sustainability and public health.
Mixture of Toxic Metals and Volatile Organic Compounds in a River Induces Cytotoxicity
Researchers found that water from the Atoyac River in Mexico exerts significant cytotoxic effects on Allium cepa root meristems, with toxic metals and volatile organic compounds negatively correlated with mitotic activity, confirming the genotoxic hazard posed by industrial and municipal wastewater discharge.
Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Soils Irrigated by Treated Wastewater: A Case Study from the Northwest of the Haut Chelif Plain, Algeria
Researchers monitored heavy metal accumulation in soils irrigated with treated wastewater over four years in northwest Algeria, finding that long-term treated wastewater irrigation enriches soils with heavy metals at both 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths, with accumulation rates influenced by wastewater composition, climate, soil type, and irrigation frequency.
Pragmatic and Fragile Effects of Wastewater on a Soil-Plant-Air Continuum and Its Remediation Measures: A Perspective
This study examined the effects of wastewater irrigation on a soil-plant-air continuum in an agricultural system, evaluating impacts on crop growth, soil health, and surrounding environmental quality. It found both pragmatic benefits for smallholder farmers facing water scarcity and fragile negative effects on soil and plant systems from contaminants in the irrigation water.
Looking into the effects of co-contamination by micro(nano)plastics in the presence of other pollutants on irrigated edible plants
This review examines the combined effects of micro- and nanoplastics with other pollutants found in treated wastewater used for crop irrigation. Researchers analyzed 19 studies and found that the joint exposure to plastics and contaminants like heavy metals or pesticides often produced different toxicity outcomes than either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that using reclaimed wastewater for irrigation may expose food crops to complex mixtures of pollutants whose combined effects are still poorly understood.
Effects of microplastics concentration on plant root traits and biomass: Experiment and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies and combines it with laboratory experiments to show how different concentrations of microplastics affect plant root growth. The findings suggest that microplastics in soil can alter root development, which may reduce crop yields and affect the quality of the food we grow and eat.
Bisphenol A contamination in irrigation water compromises tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) performance and food safety through oxidative and molecular stress pathway
Tomato plants irrigated with bisphenol A (BPA)-contaminated water exhibited oxidative stress, disrupted hormonal signalling, and reduced fruit quality. The findings indicate that BPA in reclaimed irrigation water can compromise both crop health and food safety through molecular stress pathways.
Long-term agricultural reuse of treated wastewater and sewage sludge: developing a Time to Critical Content Index for metal species
Researchers reviewed long-term effects of treated wastewater and sewage sludge reuse in agriculture, developing a framework to assess microplastic and contaminant accumulation in soils and crops over repeated application cycles.
Impact of inorganic and organic pollutants from a Belgian wastewater treatment plant on adjacent surface and groundwaters
Researchers monitored inorganic and organic pollutants in Belgian wastewater treatment plant effluent and surrounding waters, finding that while nickel exceeded environmental quality standards in surface water, overall contaminant levels suggest treated wastewater could be safely reused for groundwater replenishment and agricultural irrigation.
Possible effects on plants due to microplastics in soils from wastewater effluent reuse or sewage sludge application
This book chapter reviews potential effects of microplastics on plants when microplastic-containing wastewater or sewage sludge is applied to agricultural land. The research addresses how land application of treated sewage can introduce microplastics into soil where they may affect crop growth and food safety.
Impact of Wastewater on the Soil–Plant–Atmosphere Interface: Challenges and Remediation Approaches
This review examines the wide-ranging impacts of using wastewater for agricultural irrigation, covering effects on soil health, crop safety, and greenhouse gas emissions. Among the many concerns discussed, microplastics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria emerging from wastewater reuse are flagged as growing threats requiring better monitoring and policy responses. For readers interested in microplastics, the paper highlights how irrigation with wastewater is one of the pathways by which plastic particles enter farmland soils and ultimately the food chain.
Possible effects on plants due to microplastics in soils from wastewater effluent reuse or sewage sludge application
This chapter reviews the possible effects of microplastics in soils on plant health, with particular focus on soils irrigated with reclaimed wastewater or amended with sewage sludge — two major pathways for microplastic entry into agricultural land. Evidence suggests that microplastics can affect plant growth and may alter soil properties.
The impact of treated wastewater and biosolids from the municipal wastewater treatment plant on water and carbon dioxide effluxes from soils
Researchers measured water and CO2 effluxes from Cambisol and Arenosol soils amended with stabilized or composted sewage sludge or irrigated with treated wastewater over a growing season, finding that sewage sludge amendments significantly increased CO2 emissions while treated wastewater irrigation had negligible effect on either CO2 or water efflux, which was primarily governed by plant canopy cover.
Treated wastewater irrigation: unlocking sustainability in agriculture and food security—a comprehensive review
This comprehensive review explores treated wastewater as an alternative irrigation source for agriculture in water-scarce regions. While treated wastewater can improve soil fertility and crop growth, the review notes concerns about contaminants including microplastics that can accumulate in soil and potentially enter the food chain, emphasizing the need for effective treatment technologies.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induce cell type-dependent secondary wall reinforcement in rice (Oryza sativa) roots and reduce root hydraulic conductivity
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics penetrating rice roots trigger a cell-type-specific defense response in which the plant reinforces its secondary cell walls with lignin and suberin in key barrier tissues, increasing wall thickness by up to 22% while simultaneously reducing the root's ability to absorb water by nearly 15%.
The biomass, survival, reproductive and biomarker responses of Helix pomatia to soil contaminated with treated and untreated wastewater.
Researchers exposed garden snails to soil contaminated with treated and untreated wastewater, finding dose-dependent toxic effects on survival, reproduction, and antioxidant enzymes. Wastewater-contaminated soils often contain microplastics, and this study provides a model for assessing combined pollution effects on soil organisms.
Microplastic-induced alterations in water flow and solute transport dynamics in soil
Researchers conducted laboratory experiments to measure how microplastics alter water flow and nutrient transport through soil. They found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics clogged soil pores, reducing water conductivity by up to 74% and creating uneven flow patterns. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils could significantly impair water and nutrient delivery to crops.
Sustainable wastewater reuse for agriculture
Researchers reviewed the potential of treating and reusing wastewater for agricultural irrigation, noting that while less than 20% of the world's wastewater is currently treated, advanced systems could provide a stable, energy-generating water supply for farming. The main hurdle is that current treatment technologies cannot fully remove all emerging chemical contaminants, including microplastics, which may affect crops and human health.
The fate of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics in maize: impacts on cellular ion fluxes and plant growth
Researchers exposed maize plants to PLA biodegradable microplastics via seed germination and hydroponic experiments for up to 20 days at concentrations of 0–100 mg/L. Low concentrations (1 mg/L) had minimal effect, but higher concentrations disrupted cellular ion fluxes (Ca²⁺, H⁺, K⁺) and reduced plant growth, demonstrating that biodegradable MPs are not ecologically inert in agricultural crops.
Exfoliating microplastics intensifies heavy metal uptake and physiological stress in wastewater-irrigated chili plants
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics from exfoliating personal care products interact with heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated chili plants. They found that the combination of microplastics and contaminated wastewater significantly reduced plant growth while increasing the uptake of cadmium, mercury, and lead into plant tissues. The study suggests that microplastics from personal care products may worsen heavy metal contamination risks in crops grown with recycled wastewater.
Exfoliating microplastics intensifies heavy metal uptake and physiological stress in wastewater-irrigated chili plants
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics from exfoliating personal care products interact with heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated chili plants. They found that the combination of microplastics and contaminated wastewater significantly reduced plant growth while increasing the uptake of cadmium, mercury, and lead into plant tissues. The study suggests that microplastics from personal care products may worsen heavy metal contamination risks in crops grown with recycled wastewater.