Effect of Untreated Brewery Wastewater on the Physicochemical Properties of Agricultural Soil and Crop Yield

The increasing rate of environmental pollution especially of water bodies due to discharges from industries has become a serious challenge. Wastewater reuse is a useful tool in minimizing the amount of effluent discharge into the environment. This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of untreated brewery effluent on the physicochemical of soil and crop yield. The physicochemical properties of untreated effluent from a brewery and its effects on soil physiochemical properties and maize crop yield, were studied using standard analytical methods. The potential of brewery effluent as a nutrient source for crop production was assessed through pot culture experiments. The effluent was found to be slightly acidic in nature, and had high BOD and COD due to the presence of large amounts of solids. The effluent was rich in nitrate, phosphate and potassium, so that its application to the soil increased the values of available nutrients in the soil. The pH of the soil decreased gradually with increasing concentration of the effluent. The brewery effluent increased the moisture content and plant nutrients of the irrigated soil. In the pot culture studies, the growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, root length, fresh and dry weight, number of seeds per cob and the total chlorophyll content of the maize plants were measured. The growth of the maize plant was highest with 100 untreated effluent but low in productivity, while its productivity was highest with 50 effluent. The heavy metals content of the harvested maize analysed were all within permissible limit. This research revealed that brewery wastewater reuse in agriculture at 50 is an efficient tool for pollution control as well as improved soil properties and crop yield. Mbonu, C. F. | Onuorah, S. C. | Anaukwu, C. G. "Effect of Untreated Brewery Wastewater on the Physicochemical Properties of Agricultural Soil and Crop Yield" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-4 , June 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd50203.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/other/50203/effect-of-untreated-brewery-wastewater-on-the-physicochemical-properties-of-agricultural-soil-and-crop-yield/mbonu-c-f