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Microbial Contamination of Vegetables Irrigated with Sewage Effluent by the Drip Method
A Y Sadovski1, B Fattal1, D Goldberg1
1Food Science Laboratory and The Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Health Laboratory, Hadassah Medical/School The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
Journal of Food Protection
|February 24, 2019
Summary
Drip irrigation with wastewater significantly increased fecal coliforms on vegetables. However, specific drip irrigation techniques and using fresh water later in growth substantially reduced contamination, making wastewater irrigation a viable option.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Microbiology
- Food Safety
Background:
- Wastewater irrigation is a growing concern for microbial contamination of produce.
- Drip irrigation is a water-efficient method, but its impact on pathogen transfer needs evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess microbial contamination on vegetables irrigated with wastewater using the drip method.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of drip irrigation modifications in reducing contamination.
Main Methods:
- Determined fecal coliform counts on cucumbers and eggplants irrigated with wastewater versus fresh water.
- Investigated the impact of sub-irrigation and soil covering on bacterial contamination.
- Assessed viral contamination in vegetables from wastewater-irrigated plots.
Main Results:
- Vegetables irrigated with wastewater showed a 38-fold higher fecal coliform count compared to fresh water irrigation.
- Sub-irrigation and plastic sheeting significantly reduced bacterial contamination.
- No significant difference in bacterial contamination was observed when wastewater was used only during early growth stages.
- Viral contamination was below detection limits in all tested samples.
Conclusions:
- The drip irrigation method can be adapted for wastewater irrigation of crops.
- Agrotechnical modifications and strategic water source switching are key to meeting public health standards.
- Wastewater irrigation using drip systems is potentially safe if managed correctly.
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