Eflluent Quality of Zob-Ahan Company and its Effects on Irrigated Grape Fields

Knowledge of quality and chemical composition of industrial effluent water (EW) for safe and lawful reuses is required. The effect of application of Zob-Ahan (ZA) industrial EW on agricultural land and irrigated grape plants were studied. The compound EW samples were seasonally collected during a twoday period. In addition, the soil and grape plant irrigated with EW were also sampled. Three fields were selected, and in each field soil from 0 to 30 cm, grape plant leaf, and grape samples were collected in three replicates. For each soil, leaf and fruit sample three sub samples were collected and were compounded. Also soil samples of virgin land (control) adjacent each field were collected. In addition the well water in vicinity of EW ponds were sampled seasonally. The results show that the industrial EW COD, TSS, BOD, TDS, NO3-, Cl-, SO4-- and heavy metals concentration of Co, Cr, and Cd is limiting for discharge into absorbtion well and irrigation. The available heavy metals concentration of land irrigated with EW were higher than control (Virgin adjacent land) and total heavy metals concentration of land irrigated with EW were in the critical range. The grape leaf Mn concentration was higher than normal range, but grape fruit heavy metals concentration were in normal range. The heavy metal concentration of Fe in all unwashed plant samples were higher than washed ones. Therefore the air pollution and aerosol fall out of Fe is an additional factor to EW application in land and plant contamination in the vicinity of Zob-Ahan industrial complex.