Effect of irrigation water quality on organic matter, Cd and Cu mobility in soils of central Mexico

Abstract

Untreated wastewater has been used for irrigation since 1912 at the Irrigation District 03, Central Mexico. Accumulated heavy metals are dominantly bound to the organic soil fraction. In a field study we evaluated the effect of wastewater irrigation on the quality of soil organic matter and the amount of water extractable Cu and Cd. In a column experiment we tested if water treatment affects the leaching of both metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) out of soils that have been irrigated for more than 90 years with untreated wastewater. The field study shows that long term irrigation increases the mineralizable carbon fraction and the DOC concentrations. The water extractable Cu and Cd concentrations also increase and correlate with DOC. In the column leachates the Cu concentrations also correlate with DOC, the Cd concentrations correlate with the sum of cations, chloride and DOC concentrations. Water treatment reduced Cd leaching, but it did have no substantial effect on Cu leaching.