Effect of irrigation with wastewater of petrochemical mill on concentration of some elements and heavy metal in barley plant

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of irrigation with wastewater of Bojnourd Petrochemical Mill on nutrient elements and heavy metals uptake in barley plant (cv. Sahand). An experiment was carried out in factorial based on completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. The treatments used for irrigation were: T1: undiluted wastewater, T2: 75% wastewater and 25% well water, T3: 50% wastewater and 50% well water, T4: 25% wastewater and 75% well water and T5: well water only. Seed of sahand cultivar of barley were sown in pots and at the end of the plant growth, plants were harvested and different micro and macro elements were analyzed in each treatment. Analysis variance of the data showed that the effects of different irrigation treatment on concentration of K and P were significant at the 1% level of probability while their effects on concentration of Na and Fe were not significant. Increase of wastewater ratio, increased the concentration of Zn, Cd, Mn and Cu in barley plants. In general, based on the results of this experiment, irrigation with wastewater of Bojnourd Petrochemical Mill was not harmful for barley and it can be considered as a waste source for irrigation of barley field.