International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Sciences (IJSRES), 1(1), pp. 1-6, 2013 Available online at http://www.ijsrpub.

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Full Length Research Paper Impact of Municipal Waste Leachate Application on Soil Properties and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L)
Seyede Batoul Kiayee
Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran f.kiayee@gmail.com
Received 22 December 2012; Accepted 10 January 2013

Abstract. Making use of any organic matter sources, including municipal waste leachate (MWL) in arid and semi-arid regions like central Iran is very important. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of municipal waste leachate (MWL) application on soil properties and accumulation of heavy metals in wheat. The treatments consisted of 0 (T1), 150 (T2) and 300 of MWL Ton.Ha-1 (T3). Wheat seedlings were transferred to 4*4m plots. Municipal waste leachate was applied at tillering and panicle stages. In this study, the concentrations of extractable Fe, Mn, Cd and Ni (ppm) in soil under T1 were 2.19, 1.31, 0.06 and 0.30, they (ppm) in soil under T2 were 3.92, 1.99, 0.06 and 0.35, and they (ppm) in soil under T3 were 4.29, 2.18, 0.06 and 0.38, respectively. In the wheat under the treatments, the concentrations of extractable Fe, Mn, Cd and Ni (ppm) in roots under T1 were 1.78, 0.73, 0.007 and 0.007, they (ppm) in roots under T2 were 2.47, 0.97, 0.007 and 0.009, and they (ppm) in roots under T3 were 3.04, 1.10, 0.008 and 0.009, respectively. These results showed that the MWL caused increase of electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, phosphorus, available potassium, DTPA-extractable iron, manganese, cadmium and nickel in soil, and it caused increase of heavy metals in wheat. Key words: Wheat, Heavy metals, Iron, Leachate, Soil properties

1. INTRODUCTION Accumulated municipal solid wastes in landfills decompose by a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes (Asadi et al., 2011a). Leachate is generated when water penetrates through the waste in the landfill. The water can be from all forms of water that fall from the air or flow from the surrounding land into the landfill or from the waste itself (Asadi et al., 2011b). Leachates are reflected one of the types of wastewater with the utmost environmental influence. A large volume of leachate is produced in the process of converting solid waste refuse into compost. This is due to the high moisture content of garbage in Iran. The leachate production will reach a volume of 5000 m3 per day, if all the garbage produced in the country is converted into compost. Garbage leachate has been reported to affect soil physical and chemical properties. It promotes soil aggregation, reduces surface crusting, reduces pH in calcareous soils, and increases soil organic matter (Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi, 2001). Leachate from municipal solid waste landfills include a variable mixture of solutes, including inorganic ions like Cl-, SO42-, Ca, Mg, Na and K, heavy metals and volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds. It has been suggested leachate should be used as fertilizers (Hernandez et al., 1999). Making use of any organic matter sources, containing municipal waste leachate (MWL) produced in process of converting solid waste refuses into compost in arid

and semi-arid regions like central Iran, is very important (Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi, 2002a). In arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, the distinct feature of most cultivated soils is relatively low organic matter (OM) content and, generally, these soils have poor physical characteristics. Consequently, soil application of organic wastes to supply at least a part of the plant nutrient requirement and improve the physical properties of soil is highly important. (Maftoun and Moshiri, 2008). Besides considerable organic matter content in leachate causing structure improvement and infiltration increase, they include a lot of macro and micro elements such as N, P, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Mo that effects on soil fertility and also they involve infrequent elements causing environmental pollution so waste usage needs to be assessed (Panahpour et al., 2011). Application of residues or refuse to soil usually increases availability of macro- and micronutrients. Alleviation of micronutrient deficiencies by application of manure, poultry refuse, and sewage sludge has been reported. Application of refuse to soil may increase the heavy metal contents of the soil that may allow transfer of these metals into the plant (Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi, 2002a). Woodbury (1992) investigated trace elements in municipal solid waste composts: A review of potential detrimental effects on plants, soil biota, and water quality. Existing data from field experiments with MSW compost suggest that plant uptake of copper,

Kiayee Impact of Municipal Waste Leachate Application on Soil Properties and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L)

nickel, zinc, arsenic, and lead will be slight, but boron may occasionally cause phytotoxicity. Most plant species take up little cadmium, but uptake of cadmium from MSW compost-amended soils by species that most readily accumulate cadmium has not been examined under field situations. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of municipal waste leachate on soil properties and accumulation of heavy metals in wheat. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1. Sample preparation The experiment was carried out in near Isfahan city in Isfahan province (central Iran) in 2011. The treatment consisted of 0 (T1), 150 (T2) and 300 of MWL Ton.Ha-1 (T3) in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Wheat seedlings were transferred to 4*4m plots. Municipal waste leachate was applied at tillering and panicle stages. After 40 days, soil samples from 0 to 30 cm, and plant samples were taken for testing. The plant tissues were prepared for laboratory analysis by Wet Digestion method (Campbell and Plank, 1998). Soil samples were air dried in a greenhouse at a temperature between 25C and 30C and sifted through a 2-mm mesh sieve for preparation of soil samples (Mojiri and Aziz, 2011).
EC (dS m-1) 1.19 28.21 TN (ppm) 0.05 0.19 P (ppm) 14.53 26.21 K (ppm) 2.81 25.41 CaCO3 (%)

2.2. Laboratory determinations Soil reaction (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and soluble cations were measured on 1:1 extract (Soil:Water). Available potassium ions (K) were measured by Flamephotometry (Zarinkafsh, 1993). Total nitrogen (TN) was measured by Kjeldahl method (ASA, 1982). Phosphorus was measured by Olsen method (Ludwick and Reuss, 1974). Micronutrients and heavy metals in soil and plant samples were carried out by DTPA in accordance the Standard Methods, analysis of municipal waste leachate (MWL) was carried out in accordance the Standard Methods (APHA, 1998). 2.3. Statistical analysis Descriptive statistical analysis including mean comparison using Duncans Multiple Range Test (DMRT) (in 0.05 level) was conducted using SPSS software. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Main soil and MWL properties before experiment are shown in Table 1. The soil chemical characteristics in the three treatments can be compared in Table 2.

Table 1: Main soil, municipal waste leachate (MWL) properties

pH Fe (ppm) 2.27 70.12 Mn (ppm) 1.39 9.51 Cd (ppm) 0.06 0.05 Ni (ppm) 0.31 0.91

Soil
7.02 5.62 23

MWL
_

DTPA-extractable iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) (ppm) equal to 2.27, 1.39, 0.06 and 0.31 were found in the main soil, respectively. Extractable Fe, Mn, Cd and Ni equal to 70.12, 9.51, 0.05 and 0.91 were found in the municipal waste leachate (MWL), respectively.
EC (dS m-1) 1.22a 1.33b 1.47c TN (ppm) 0.07a 0.09b 0.12c P (ppm) K (ppm)

According to Table1, MWL added to the soil caused an increase of electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available potassium, extractable iron, manganese, cadmium and nickel but it caused a decrease of soil pH.

Table 2: Comparing the means for soil chemical characteristics

pH Fe (ppm) Mn (ppm) 1.31a 1.99b 2.18c Cd (ppm) 0.06a 0.06a 0.06a Ni (ppm) 0.30a 0.35b 0.38c

7.04a 6.94b 6.86c

T1 (0 of MWL Ton.Ha-1) 14.41a 2.57a 2.19a T2 (150 of MWL Ton.Ha ) 14.88b 3.32b 3.92b T3 (300 of MWL Ton.Ha-1) 15.07c 3.94c 4.29c
-1

+ Numbers followed by same letters in each column are not significantly (P<0.05) different according to the DMR test

International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Sciences (IJSRES), 1(1), pp. 1-6, 2013

Minimum soil pH equal to 6.86 was observed in T3, and maximum pH equal to 7.04 was recorded in T1. Minimum EC (dS m-1) equal to 1.22 was found in T1, and maximum EC equal to 1.47 was found in T3. Minimum TN (%) equal to 0.07 was observed in T1, and maximum TN equal to 0.12 was found in T3. Minimum P (ppm) equal to 14.41 was observed in T1, and maximum P equal to 15.07 was found in T3. Minimum K (ppm) equal to 2.57 was observed in T1, and maximum K equal to 3.94 was found in T3. Minimum extractable Fe (ppm) equal to 2.19 was observed in T1, and maximum extractable Fe equal to 4.29 was found in T3. Minimum extractable Mn (ppm) equal to 1.31 was recorded in T1, and maximum extractable Mn equal to 2.18 was determined in T3. Extractable Cd (ppm) concentrations were 0.06 in all treatments. Minimum extractable Ni (ppm) equal to 0.30 was determined in T1, and maximum extractable Ni equal to 0.38 was determined in T3. 3.1. Effects of municipal waste leachate (MWL) application on soil properties MWL application caused a decrease of soil pH. This is in line with findings of Panahpour et al. (2011) and Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2001). The observed decrease in the soil pH in MWL treatments are attributed to the acidifying effect of MWL (Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi 2002a). Some investigations showed that the MWL added to the soil caused at first a decrease of soil pH but after a while it had no significantly effect on soil pH, and soil pH returned to its original state (Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi, 2002b). Most these
Fe (ppm) Mn (ppm) Root 1.780a 1.091b 0.732a Shoot 0.354b Root 2.478c 2.011d 0.972c Shoot 0.399d Root 3.041e 2.310f 1.102e Shoot 0.423f

investigations described the long term impact of MWL added to the soil while this study was short term. MWL application caused an increase of electrical conductivity in soil. This is in line with findings of Panahpour et al. (2011) and Maftoun and Moshiri (2008). MWL application caused an increase of available potassium in soil. This is in line with findings of Asadi et al. (2011) and Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2001). The higher concentration of cations such as Na and K in MWL led to an increase in EC and exchangeable Na and K in soils plus MWL. MWL application caused an increase of total nitrogen in soil. This is in line with findings of Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2001). MWL application caused an increase of phosphorus in soil. This is in line with findings of Pahanhpour et al. (2011) and Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2001). Increasing the total N and phosphorus of soil plus MWL can be attributed to different forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the MWL. 3.2. Micronutrient and heavy metals MWL application caused an increase of extractable iron, manganese, cadmium and nickel in soil. This is in line with findings of Madrid et al. (2007), Maftoun and Moshiri (2008) and Amirossadat (2012). Accumulation of micronutrients and heavy metals from MWL application could be caused directly by the presence of micronutrients and heavy metals in MWL or indirectly through increasing solubility of the indigenous insoluble soil heavy metals as reduction of soil pH.
Cd (ppm) Ni (ppm)

Table 3: Comparing the accumulation of heavy metals in wheat in the three applied treatments

T1 (0 of MWL Ton.Ha-1) 0.007a 0.00b 0.007a 0.00b

T2 (150 of MWL Ton.Ha-1) 0.007a 0.00b 0.009c 0.002d

T3 (300 of MWL Ton.Ha-1) 0.008a 0.00b 0.009c 0.002f

+ Numbers followed by same letters in each column are not significantly (P<0.05) different according to the DMR test

Kiayee Impact of Municipal Waste Leachate Application on Soil Properties and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L)

Panahpour et al. (2011) investigated influence of garbage leachate on soil reaction, salinity and soil organic matter in east of Isfahan. Results of this study showed that the MWL added to the soil caused a decrease of soil pH but it caused an increase soluble salts and also organic matter percentage. Therefore, acidic pH increased the ability to absorb some nutrient elements such as phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and manganese, and organic materials also improved many physical and chemical properties of soil. The accumulation of heavy metals in wheat in the three treatments can be compared in Table 3 and figures 1 to 2.

Minimum extractable Fe (ppm) in root equal to 1.780 was observed in T1, and maximum extractable Fe equal to 3.041 was found in T3. Minimum extractable Mn (ppm) equal to 0.732 was recorded in T1, and maximum extractable Mn in root equal to 1.102 was determined in T3. Minimum extractable Cd (ppm) equal to 0.007 was determined in T1 and T2, and maximum extractable Cd in root equal to 0.008 was determined in T3. Minimum extractable Ni (ppm) in root equal to 0.007 was determined in T1, and maximum extractable Ni equal to 0.009 was determined in T2 and T3.

Fig. 1: Accumulation of heavy metals in the roots of wheat

Fig. 2: Accumulation of heavy metals in the shoots of wheat

The effects of municipal waste leachate (MWL) on accumulation of micronutrients and heavy metals in wheat: These results showed that: - MWL application caused an increase of extractable Fe in wheat. This is in line with findings of Astaraei and Bond (2008). - MWL application caused an increase of extractable Mn in wheat. This is in line with findings of Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2002a). - MWL application caused an increase of extractable Cd in wheat. This is in line with findings of Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2002b).

- MWL application caused an increase of extractable Ni in wheat. This is in line with findings of Astaraei and Bond (2008). Khoshgoftarmanesh and Kalbasi (2001) investigated the effect of garbage leachate (GL) on growth and yield of rice and its residual effects on wheat. This result showed that the GL increased concentrations of some heavy metals in rice. Residual effects of GL application after rice increased the straw and grain yield of wheat as well as macro and micronutrients uptake.

International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Sciences (IJSRES), 1(1), pp. 1-6, 2013

4. CONCLUSION Municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate contains micro elements that can be used by plant. Using large scale municipal waste leachate on agricultural lands can be a synergistic management practice. MWL added to the soil caused an increase of electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available potassium, extractable iron, manganese, cadmium and nickel but it caused a decrease of soil pH. Municipal waste leachate caused an increase of heavy metals in wheat that accumulation of heavy metals in roots was important than in shoots. REFERENCES Amirossadat Z (2012). Comparison between Impacts of Urban Wastewater and Urban Waste Leachate Applications on Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Soil and Barley. Caspian Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 1(3): 1218. APHA (1998). Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th ed. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC, USA. ASA (1982). Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd edition, Page A.L. (Ed.), Agronomy Society of America. Asadi A, Huat BBK, Moayedi H, Shariatmadari N, Parsaie A (2011). Changes of hydraulic conductivity of silty clayey sand soil under the effects of municipal solid waste leachate. International Journal of the Physical Sciences, 6(12): 2869-2874. Asadi A, Shariatmadari N, Moayedi H, Huat BBK (2011). Effect of MSW Leachate on Soil Consistency under Influence of Electrochemical Forces Induced by Soil Particles. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci., 6: 2344 2351. Astaraei A, Bond SA (2008). Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Leachate on Plant Growth and Micro Elements Uptake of Green Chilli. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, 5(3): 95106. Campbell CR, Plank CO (1998). Preparation of plant tissue for laboratory analysis. P 37-49. In Y.P. Kalra (ed) Handbook of Reference Method for Plant Analysis. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Hernandez AJ, Adarve MJ, Gil A, Pastor J (1999). Soil Salivation from Landfill Leachates: Effects on the Macronutrient Content and Plant Growth of Four Grassland Species. Chemosphere, 38(7): 1693-1711. Khoshgoftarmanesh AH, Kalbasi M (2002a). Effect of Municipal Waste Leachate on Soil Properties and Growth and Yield of Rice. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 33: 13-14. Khoshgoftarmanesh AH, Kalbasi M (2002b). Residual effects of leachate on soil characteristics and growth of wheat. Agricultural Science and Technology, 6(3): 141-148. Khoshgoftarmanesh AH, Kalbasi M (2001). Effect of Garbage Leachate on Growth and Yield of Rice and Its Residual Effects on Wheat. ICID International Workshop on Wastewater Reuse Management, 19, 20 September, Seoul, Rep. Korea. Ludwick AE, Reuss JO (1974). Guide to Fertilizer Recommendations in Colorado. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. (And personal communications with Albert E. Ludwick). Madrid F, Lopez R, Cabrera F (2007). Metal accumulation in soil after application of municipal solid waste compost under intensive farming conditions. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 119: 249256. Maftoun M, Moshiri F (2008). Growth, Mineral Nutrition and Selected Soil Properties of Lowland Rice, as Affected by Soil Application of Organic Wastes and Phosphorus. J. Agric. Sci. Technol., 10: 481-492. Mojiri A, Hamidi AA (2011). Effects of Municipal Wastewater on Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Soil and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) with Two Irrigation Methods. Romanian Agricultural Research, 28: 217-222. Panahpour E, Gholami A, Davami AH (2011). Influence of Garbage Leachate on Soil Reaction, Salinity and Soil Organic Matter in East of Isfahan. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 171-176. Woodbury PB (1992). Trace elements in municipal solid waste composts: A review of potential detrimental effects on plants, soil biota, and water quality. Biomass and Bioenergy, 3(3-4): 239-259.

Kiayee Impact of Municipal Waste Leachate Application on Soil Properties and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L)

Seyyede Batoul Kiayee is Msc student in Agriculture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Rasht, IRAN, and Assistant researcher in science and research institute of rice and Guilan University of agriculture.