USE OF DOMESTIC WASTE WATER FOR IRRIGATION OF VEGETABLE CROPS; THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOCHEMISTRY

USE OF DOMESTIC WASTE WATER FOR IRRIGATION OF VEGETABLE CROPS; THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOCHEMISTRY

ABSTRACT

This work examined the effects of domestic wastewater used for irrigation of vegetables. Ever increasing population; urbanization and industrialization have led to generation and indiscriminate discharge of large volume of water from domestic agricultural zones of the country.  Discharged from industries, domestic sewage, abattoir and other non-point sources of pollution with high concentration of vegetable farmers using waste water. The use of sewage water for irrigation is a matter of major concern due to the presence of toxic metals and other pollutants. Physicochemical parameters of irrigation water were observed to be higher than acceptable limits. Consumption of vegetables has positive impact on the health of man, the presence of faecal-indicator bacteria in the irrigation water and vegetable samples suggests faecal pollution raising the possibility of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in these vegetables and a threat to public health. We recommend adequate treatment of effluents before discharge. The need for proper disinfection of raw vegetables before consumption cannot be overemphasized.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The population of Nigeria is always on the increase, with the World Bank estimating the population of Nigeria to hit over a 300 million in the year 2035, the gap between the supply and demand for water is widening and is reaching such alarming levels that in some parts of the world it is posing a threat to human existence. Since 1950 the world population has doubled while water consumption has increased six- fold. By 2025, it is expected that 3.4 billion people will be living in countries defined as water-scarce. Scientists around the globe are working on new ways of conserving water. It is an opportune time to refocus on one of the ways to recycle water-through the use of wastewater for irrigation and other purposes.

Wastewater refers to water whose quality might pose a threat to sustainable agriculture and/or human health, but which can be used safely for irrigation provided certain precautions are taken. It describes water that has been polluted as a result of mixing with Waste or agricultural drainage (Cornish et al 1999). Pierce and Turner (1990) defined wastewater as

water that possesses certain characteristics which have the potential to cause problems when it is used for an intended purpose. In this work, it is assumed that wastewater may be a combination of some or all of the following:

DOWNLOAD COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL

USE OF DOMESTIC WASTE WATER FOR IRRIGATION OF VEGETABLE CROPS; THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOCHEMISTRY