A Comparative Assessment of the Effects of Industrial Wastewater and Rainwater Irrigation on Soil Characteristics in the Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra

Abstract

The safe disposal of industrial wastewater has become a major challenge for industrial managers and scientists. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the generation of enormous quantities of wastewater. The use of untreated industrial wastewater for crop irrigation is a common practice among farmers. One potential solution to the growing problem of water scarcity is the reuse of industrial and domestic wastewater for agricultural and related activities after appropriate treatment. The present research work investigates the effects of industrial wastewater irrigation on the soil characteristics of nearby areas in Buldhana District, Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, India. The data obtained in the present study indicate that electrical conductivity (EC), phosphate, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) exhibit higher values in fertilizer industry wastewater, whereas pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), and chlorine (Cl?) exhibit maximum values in sewage water from the Khamgaon MIDC area. At sugar industry sites, the values of EC, temperature, phosphate, TDS, Ca, Mg, and Cl? are comparatively higher in wastewater. The concentrations of organic carbon, available nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), sulphate (SO?), chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are comparatively higher in wastewater-irrigated soils than in tube-well-irrigated soils. The findings of this study highlight the influence of industrial wastewater irrigation on the physicochemical properties of soil and emphasize the importance of appropriate wastewater treatment before its use for agricultural purposes. The safe disposal of industrial wastewater has become a major challenge for industrial managers and scientists. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the generation of enormous quantities of wastewater. The use of untreated industrial wastewater for crop irrigation is a common practice among farmers. One potential solution to the growing problem of water scarcity is the reuse of industrial and domestic wastewater for agricultural and related activities after appropriate treatment. The present research work investigates the effects of industrial wastewater irrigation on the soil characteristics of nearby areas in Buldhana District, Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, India. The data obtained in the present study indicate that electrical conductivity (EC), phosphate, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) exhibit higher values in fertilizer industry wastewater, whereas pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), and chlorine (Cl?) exhibit maximum values in sewage water from the Khamgaon MIDC area. At sugar industry sites, the values of EC, temperature, phosphate, TDS, Ca, Mg, and Cl? are comparatively higher in wastewater. The concentrations of organic carbon, available nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), sulphate (SO?), chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are comparatively higher in wastewater-irrigated soils than in tube-well-irrigated soils. The findings of this study highlight the influence of industrial wastewater irrigation on the physicochemical properties of soil and emphasize the importance of appropriate wastewater treatment before its use for agricultural purposes. The safe disposal of industrial wastewater has become a major challenge for industrial managers and scientists. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the generation of enormous quantities of wastewater. The use of untreated industrial wastewater for crop irrigation is a common practice among farmers. One potential solution to the growing problem of water scarcity is the reuse of industrial and domestic wastewater for agricultural and related activities after appropriate treatment. The present research work investigates the effects of industrial wastewater irrigation on the soil characteristics of nearby areas in Buldhana District, Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, India. The data obtained in the present study indicate that electrical conductivity (EC), phosphate, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) exhibit higher values in fertilizer industry wastewater, whereas pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), and chlorine (Cl?) exhibit maximum values in sewage water from the Khamgaon MIDC area. At sugar industry sites, the values of EC, temperature, phosphate, TDS, Ca, Mg, and Cl? are comparatively higher in wastewater. The concentrations of organic carbon, available nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), sulphate (SO?), chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are comparatively higher in wastewater-irrigated soils than in tube-well-irrigated soils. The findings of this study highlight the influence of industrial wastewater irrigation on the physicochemical properties of soil and emphasize the importance of appropriate wastewater treatment before its use for agricultural purposes. The safe disposal of industrial wastewater has become a major challenge for industrial managers and scientists. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the generation of enormous quantities of wastewater. The use of untreated industrial wastewater for crop irrigation is a common practice among farmers. One potential solution to the growing problem of water scarcity is the reuse of industrial and domestic wastewater for agricultural and related activities after appropriate treatment. The present research work investigates the effects of industrial wastewater irrigation on the soil characteristics of nearby areas in Buldhana District, Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, India. The data obtained in the present study indicate that electrical conductivity (EC), phosphate, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) exhibit higher values in fertilizer industry wastewater, whereas pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), and chlorine (Cl?) exhibit maximum values in sewage water from the Khamgaon MIDC area. At sugar industry sites, the values of EC, temperature, phosphate, TDS, Ca, Mg, and Cl? are comparatively higher in wastewater. The concentrations of organic carbon, available nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), sulphate (SO?), chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are comparatively higher in wastewater-irrigated soils than in tube-well-irrigated soils. The findings of this study highlight the influence of industrial wastewater irrigation on the physicochemical properties of soil and emphasize the importance of appropriate wastewater treatment before its use for agricultural purposes.

Introduction

The study investigates the effects of industrial wastewater irrigation on soil quality and its chemical properties in the Khamgaon Industrial Area of Buldana District, Maharashtra. Due to increasing industrialization and urbanization, the generation of wastewater has increased significantly, and farmers often use untreated industrial wastewater for agricultural irrigation. Although wastewater contains essential nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), it may also contain harmful substances and heavy metals that can negatively affect soil quality and plant growth.

The study focuses on analyzing the physical and chemical characteristics of industrial wastewater and wastewater-irrigated soil. Samples were collected during three seasons: pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. Tube well water and normally irrigated soil were used as control samples. Various parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids, hardness, organic carbon, nutrients, and heavy metals, were analyzed using standard laboratory methods.

Main Findings

The wastewater analysis revealed that industrial wastewater was slightly alkaline, with higher electrical conductivity, BOD, COD, total solids, hardness, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and chloride concentrations compared with control water. The dissolved oxygen level was lower due to the high organic content of wastewater. Heavy metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) were also detected.

The analysis of wastewater-irrigated soil showed the following changes:

• Soil pH: Increased in wastewater-irrigated soil, indicating greater alkalinity.

• Electrical Conductivity: Increased due to the accumulation of dissolved salts such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

• Organic Carbon: Increased because of the organic matter present in industrial wastewater.

• Nutrient Content: Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels increased, which can improve soil fertility and crop production.

• Soil Porosity: Decreased due to the accumulation of salts and heavy metals.

• Sodium and Magnesium: Higher concentrations indicated the development of moderate sodicity problems.

• Heavy Metals: Copper, iron, zinc, and manganese concentrations increased in wastewater-irrigated soil compared with control soil.

Materials and Methods

Wastewater and soil samples were collected from industrial wastewater discharge locations in the Khamgaon Industrial Area during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. Tube well water samples were collected for comparison. Soil samples were collected at two depths: 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm.

Laboratory analysis was conducted to determine the physicochemical properties, nutrient concentrations, and heavy metal content using standard analytical procedures, including atomic absorption spectrophotometry for heavy metal analysis.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Dr. G D Tambatkar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.