Salma Amairi(1), Rita Mansour (2)(3) Rami Watffa(1) and Nada Ghebeh(4)
(1). Department of renewable natural resources and environment, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Damascus, Syria.
(2). Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University- Damascus, Syria.
(3). Qasyoun University for Science & Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus, Syria.
(4)Natural Resource Research Department – General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research – Damascus,Syria.
(*Corresponding author:Salma amairi.E-Mail:Salmaamaery9@gmail.com).
Received: 10/07/2023 Accepted: 23/01/2023
Abstract:
The experiment was carried out at the Abi Jarash farm, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Damascus in 2020- 2021.The experiment was conducted according to a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) to calculate the Least Significant Difference (LSD) at a significance level of 0.05. Twenty crop beds were planted with Helianthus annuusL (common name sunflower) andirrigated by five kinds of water (five treatments) at a rate of four replicates per treatment: T1 (100% freshwater), T2 (25% wastewater + 75% freshwater), T3 (50% wastewater + 50% freshwater), T4 (75% wastewater + 25% freshwater) and T5 (100% wastewater).The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) in irrigated and filtration water,along with plant parts (root, stem, leaves) were measured at the maturity stage by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and flame spectroscopy. Results showed the concentration of Pb and Cd in filtrate were lower than its concentrations in irrigated water. According to the Syrian Standard for treated wastewater,the filtration water for treatments T3 and T4 is suitable for irrigation (the values of Cd and Pb were 0.032, 3.00 mg/l for T3 and 0.041, 4.00 mg/l for T4, respectively). Conversely, the concentration of K+ and Na+ increased in water filtrate when itwas in irrigation water. The results also showed: significant differences between treatment of T1 and T5 in the plant’s accumulation of Cd. The highest concentration of Cd in leaves were at T5 (0.0647 mg/Kg) and the lowest value in roots were at T1 (0.005 mg/Kg). In addition, there were obvious significant differences between all treatments for Pb accumulation; its highest concentration in the roots was in T5 (17.00 mg/Kg)and the lowest concentration in the stem was in the control(2.00 mg/Kg) . Cd accumulation in the leaves was higher than in the roots, while Pb was concentrated in the lower parts of the plant. Absorption of Na+ and K+ in the root, stems, and leaves decreased when heavy metals accumulated in these plant parts.
Keywords: Helianthus annuusL, Wastewater, Heavy metals, Chemical indicators.
Full paper in Arabic: pdf