Local desalination treatment plant wastewater reuse and evaluation potential absorption of salts by the halophyte plants

Abstract

The expansion of arid and semi-arid areas and consequently water scarcity are affectedby climate change. This can influence on availability and quality of water while demandson food and water are increasing. As pressure on freshwater is increasing, utilization ofsaline water in a sustainable approach is inevitable. Therefore, bioremediation using salttolerant plants that is consistent with sustainable development objectives might be analternative and effective approach. In this study, saline wastewater from a localdesalination treatment plant was utilized to irrigate four halophyte plants, includingAloevera, Tamarix aphylla, Rosmarinus officinalis and Matricaria chamomilla. A fieldexperiment was designed and conducted in Zarrindasht, south of Iran in years 2012-2013 accordingly. Two irrigation treatments consisting of freshwater with salinity of2.04 dS.m-1 and desalination wastewater with salinity of 5.77dSm-1 were applied. Theexperiment was designed as a split plot in the form of randomized complete block design(RCB) with three replications. The results of variance analysis, ANOVA, on saltconcentration in Aloevera showed that there was no significant difference between theeffects of two irrigation water qualities except for Na. In Rosmarinus officinalis, only theratio of K/Na showed a significant difference. None of the examined salt elementsshowed a significant difference in Tamarix aphylla irrigated with both water qualities. InMatricaria chamomilla, only Mg and K/Na ratio showed a significant difference (Duncan5%). As a result, no significant difference was observed in salt absorption by theexamined plants in treatments which were irrigated by desalination wastewater andfreshwater. This could be a good result that encourages the use of similar wastewater tosave freshwater in a sustainable system.