Changes in the Environmental Parameters of Treated Wastewater in Soils

Abstract

Available data about treated sanitary and industrial wastewater in Kuwait were collected and reviewed. Potential changes in the environmental parameters of these waters when permeated through predominantly loamy sand soil samples collected from three agricultural sites in Kuwait, an arid land desert area. The environmental parameters investigated included pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total organic content (TOC), and total hydrocarbon content (THC). The results indicated these parameters have generally reflected marked variations. These variations were attributed to the interactions between soil, soil pore water, and influent wastewaters used in this study. The results also indicated that the above-investigated environmental parameters stayed well within the allowable limits set for the reuse of tertiary treated sanitary and industrial wastewaters in agricultural irrigation applications.

Keywords:

• Loamy sand soil
• Treated wastewater
• Water reuse
• Agricultural sites
• Environmental parameters
• Irrigation
• Permeability
• Kuwait

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Dr. Ali Al-Shamlan, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) for funding this study. Thanks are extended to Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) management for supporting this project. The authors also thank the sanitary wastewater and industrial authorities in Kuwait for providing needed information and samples. Special thanks are extended to KISR technicians and professionals who were involved in this project.