Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia
Boron (B) in soils originates from both natural and human sources, such as agriculture and industry, which contribute boron via fertilizers and irrigation water. Using treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation is a strategy to address water scarcity in agriculture within arid areas like Tunisia; howev...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Soil Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/9/1/8 |
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| author | Salma Fatnassi Georg Hörmann Nicola Fohrer Jose Navarro-Pedreño Mohamed Hachicha |
| author_facet | Salma Fatnassi Georg Hörmann Nicola Fohrer Jose Navarro-Pedreño Mohamed Hachicha |
| author_sort | Salma Fatnassi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Boron (B) in soils originates from both natural and human sources, such as agriculture and industry, which contribute boron via fertilizers and irrigation water. Using treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation is a strategy to address water scarcity in agriculture within arid areas like Tunisia; however, it introduces a risk of B contamination. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to assess the levels of B contamination throughout the entire irrigation system of the TWW “Cebala Borj-Touil” in Northeast Tunisia. To evaluate the lasting impact of TWW irrigation on B and the dynamics of physicochemical parameters across the entire system, soil samples were collected from various depths (0–150 cm) in a control area and gathered both prior to and following irrigation (two campaigns). Water samples utilized for irrigation and water released from drainage were gathered throughout an irrigation cycle. Groundwater sampling took place over two campaigns in April and September of 2018. The findings indicated that B concentrations in irrigation water were below the Tunisian standards (NT 106.03), while in drainage and groundwater, B levels exceeded the standard slightly during some periods. Throughout a three-decade cycle, the patterns of irrigation caused a notable transfer of boron from the topsoil to the groundwater. Therefore, it is essential to regularly supervise the irrigated area system and enhance the drainage system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1b02da028ae7438eaee6ce79f60eef2d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2571-8789 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Soil Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-1b02da028ae7438eaee6ce79f60eef2d2025-08-20T01:48:50ZengMDPI AGSoil Systems2571-87892025-01-0191810.3390/soilsystems9010008Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast TunisiaSalma Fatnassi0Georg Hörmann1Nicola Fohrer2Jose Navarro-Pedreño3Mohamed Hachicha4National Research Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters and Forests, Carthage University, Ariana 2080, TunisiaDepartment of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, GermanyDepartment of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, GermanyDepartment of Agrochemistry and Environment, University Miguel Hernández of Elche, 03202 Elche, SpainNational Research Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters and Forests, Carthage University, Ariana 2080, TunisiaBoron (B) in soils originates from both natural and human sources, such as agriculture and industry, which contribute boron via fertilizers and irrigation water. Using treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation is a strategy to address water scarcity in agriculture within arid areas like Tunisia; however, it introduces a risk of B contamination. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to assess the levels of B contamination throughout the entire irrigation system of the TWW “Cebala Borj-Touil” in Northeast Tunisia. To evaluate the lasting impact of TWW irrigation on B and the dynamics of physicochemical parameters across the entire system, soil samples were collected from various depths (0–150 cm) in a control area and gathered both prior to and following irrigation (two campaigns). Water samples utilized for irrigation and water released from drainage were gathered throughout an irrigation cycle. Groundwater sampling took place over two campaigns in April and September of 2018. The findings indicated that B concentrations in irrigation water were below the Tunisian standards (NT 106.03), while in drainage and groundwater, B levels exceeded the standard slightly during some periods. Throughout a three-decade cycle, the patterns of irrigation caused a notable transfer of boron from the topsoil to the groundwater. Therefore, it is essential to regularly supervise the irrigated area system and enhance the drainage system.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/9/1/8boronirrigationsoiltreated wastewatercontaminationTunisia |
| spellingShingle | Salma Fatnassi Georg Hörmann Nicola Fohrer Jose Navarro-Pedreño Mohamed Hachicha Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia Soil Systems boron irrigation soil treated wastewater contamination Tunisia |
| title | Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia |
| title_full | Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia |
| title_fullStr | Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia |
| title_short | Boron in Soil, Drainage Water and Groundwater in Long-Term Irrigated Area by Treated Wastewater in Northeast Tunisia |
| title_sort | boron in soil drainage water and groundwater in long term irrigated area by treated wastewater in northeast tunisia |
| topic | boron irrigation soil treated wastewater contamination Tunisia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/9/1/8 |
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