Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region
Projections for the Brazilian semi-arid (BSA) region estimate a reduction in water bodies and an increase in degraded areas. Recovering degraded soils using treated wastewater (TWW) is a strategy to increase the resilience of the local population to these climatic adversities. This study aimed to ev...
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2025-03-01
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| author | Victor Junior Lima Felix Salomão de Sousa Medeiros Rodrigo Santana Macedo Cristiano dos Santos Sousa Renato Francisco da Silva Souza Vânia da Silva Fraga Alexandre Pereira Bakker Robson Vinício dos Santos Bruno de Oliveira Dias Milton César Costa Campos |
| author_facet | Victor Junior Lima Felix Salomão de Sousa Medeiros Rodrigo Santana Macedo Cristiano dos Santos Sousa Renato Francisco da Silva Souza Vânia da Silva Fraga Alexandre Pereira Bakker Robson Vinício dos Santos Bruno de Oliveira Dias Milton César Costa Campos |
| author_sort | Victor Junior Lima Felix |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Projections for the Brazilian semi-arid (BSA) region estimate a reduction in water bodies and an increase in degraded areas. Recovering degraded soils using treated wastewater (TWW) is a strategy to increase the resilience of the local population to these climatic adversities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of deficit irrigation with treated effluent on the (geo)chemistry of degraded soil in the BSA. An experiment with the application of TWW was conducted on soil degraded within an agroforestry system. The treatments arranged in randomized block design were WS<sub>0.5</sub> (water supply at 0.5 L/plant/week), TE<sub>0.5</sub> (treated effluent at 0.5 L/plant/week), and TE<sub>1</sub> (treated effluent at 1 L/plant/week). Soil samples were collected (0–15 and 15–30 cm) at the initial condition, after two years of irrigation, and two years after the end of irrigation. Analyses of chemicals and geochemicals were carried out. All treatments increased soil fertility after two years in both layers, with TE<sub>1</sub> resulting in higher Ca<sup>2+</sup> (0–15 cm: 2.88; 15–30; 3.14; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), Mg<sup>2+</sup> (0–15 cm: 2.13; 15–30; 2.00; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), and K<sup>+</sup> (0–15 cm: 0.11; 15–30; 0.12; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), generating a residual effect two years post-irrigation suspension and no risk of salinization. However, TE<sub>1</sub> and mainly TE<sub>0.5</sub> showed an increase in sodium content, making the soil solodic (6–11%). The application of TWW changed the CaO, MgO, and K<sub>2</sub>O contents of silt fraction, contributing to the availability of Ca, Mg, and K in soils. Future studies should monitor sodium levels and confirm K-bearing phyllosilicate (illitization) after irrigation with TWW. The application of TWW for a short period (two years) and in small volumes (0.5 L/plant/week) affects (geo)chemistry of degraded soil from the BSA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ab450f16035147d4925ffec5cb64a9da |
| institution | DOAJ |
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| spelling | doaj-art-ab450f16035147d4925ffec5cb64a9da2025-08-20T02:41:54ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-03-0115372110.3390/agronomy15030721Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid RegionVictor Junior Lima Felix0Salomão de Sousa Medeiros1Rodrigo Santana Macedo2Cristiano dos Santos Sousa3Renato Francisco da Silva Souza4Vânia da Silva Fraga5Alexandre Pereira Bakker6Robson Vinício dos Santos7Bruno de Oliveira Dias8Milton César Costa Campos9Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartment of Agricultural and Exact Sciences, Ciência e Tecnologia da Paraíba, Instituto Federal de Educação, João Pessoa 58013-240, Paraíba, BrazilAcademic Unit of Agricultural Sciences of the Center for Agro-Food Sciences and Technology, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Pombal 58429-900, Paraíba, BrazilLaboratory of Water, Soil and Plant Analysis—LAASP, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Lagoa Seca 58429-500, Paraíba, BrazilInstituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Breves, Breves 68800-000, Pará, BrazilDepartment of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia 58051-900, Paraíba, BrazilInstituto Nacional do Semiárido, Campina Grande 58434-700, Paraíba, BrazilDepartment of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia 58051-900, Paraíba, BrazilDepartment of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia 58051-900, Paraíba, BrazilDepartment of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia 58051-900, Paraíba, BrazilProjections for the Brazilian semi-arid (BSA) region estimate a reduction in water bodies and an increase in degraded areas. Recovering degraded soils using treated wastewater (TWW) is a strategy to increase the resilience of the local population to these climatic adversities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of deficit irrigation with treated effluent on the (geo)chemistry of degraded soil in the BSA. An experiment with the application of TWW was conducted on soil degraded within an agroforestry system. The treatments arranged in randomized block design were WS<sub>0.5</sub> (water supply at 0.5 L/plant/week), TE<sub>0.5</sub> (treated effluent at 0.5 L/plant/week), and TE<sub>1</sub> (treated effluent at 1 L/plant/week). Soil samples were collected (0–15 and 15–30 cm) at the initial condition, after two years of irrigation, and two years after the end of irrigation. Analyses of chemicals and geochemicals were carried out. All treatments increased soil fertility after two years in both layers, with TE<sub>1</sub> resulting in higher Ca<sup>2+</sup> (0–15 cm: 2.88; 15–30; 3.14; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), Mg<sup>2+</sup> (0–15 cm: 2.13; 15–30; 2.00; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), and K<sup>+</sup> (0–15 cm: 0.11; 15–30; 0.12; cmolc kg<sup>−1</sup>), generating a residual effect two years post-irrigation suspension and no risk of salinization. However, TE<sub>1</sub> and mainly TE<sub>0.5</sub> showed an increase in sodium content, making the soil solodic (6–11%). The application of TWW changed the CaO, MgO, and K<sub>2</sub>O contents of silt fraction, contributing to the availability of Ca, Mg, and K in soils. Future studies should monitor sodium levels and confirm K-bearing phyllosilicate (illitization) after irrigation with TWW. The application of TWW for a short period (two years) and in small volumes (0.5 L/plant/week) affects (geo)chemistry of degraded soil from the BSA.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/721wastewater reuseCaatinga dry forestsoil geochemistrysoil fertilitysolodic soilsillitization |
| spellingShingle | Victor Junior Lima Felix Salomão de Sousa Medeiros Rodrigo Santana Macedo Cristiano dos Santos Sousa Renato Francisco da Silva Souza Vânia da Silva Fraga Alexandre Pereira Bakker Robson Vinício dos Santos Bruno de Oliveira Dias Milton César Costa Campos Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region Agronomy wastewater reuse Caatinga dry forest soil geochemistry soil fertility solodic soils illitization |
| title | Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region |
| title_full | Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region |
| title_fullStr | Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region |
| title_short | Treated Wastewater Affects the Fertility and Geochemistry of Degraded Soil in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region |
| title_sort | treated wastewater affects the fertility and geochemistry of degraded soil in the brazilian semi arid region |
| topic | wastewater reuse Caatinga dry forest soil geochemistry soil fertility solodic soils illitization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/721 |
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