AN INFLUENCE OF WASTEWATER DISCHARGES FROM PAPER MILLS ON FARM PRACTICES

Abstract

Industrial development is a challenging issue in recent times, as its adverse impact directly influences the environment. Paper and pulp industries are generally declared as one of the highly polluting industries in the country. However, nowadays they are also identified as the industry mounting with environmental and economic pressures to reduce the volume and toxicity of generated industrial wastewaters. Paper industries generate varieties of contaminants depending upon the manufacturing process. Especially, disposal of polluted water directly affects the soil structures, not only in industrial area but also in agricultural fields. Therefore, the present work accentuates on the examination of paper effluent characteristics, its impact on soil quality, and germination of groundnut seedlings. Seedling growth in polluted soil and fertile soil were monitored for 90 days. For this process, effluent, soil samples were collected from the paper industry located in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Soil samples were tested for their nutrients' level, concentration of heavy metals as per the standard quality procedures. Distribution of nutrients, heavy metal concentrations were studied in the matured crops. Sample crop registered mixed concentration of nutrient levels/heavy metals against the prescribed WHO/FAO standards, whereas control crop exhibited values within standards sufficing its healthier growth. This implies that the irrigation of the farmland with industrial water alters nutrient availabilities, in turn promoting toxic leachates into the soil. Further, the soil performances due to the percolation of industrial discharges reflected in the complexities of crop growth.