Monitoring of Zinc Profile of Forages Irrigated with CityEffluent

Wastewater contains a surplus amount of trace metals that contaminate the soil and crops. A pottrial was performed to determine the impact of wastewater on the zinc accumulation in forages andtheir associated health risk. Forages both of summer (Zeamays,Echinochloa colona,Pennisetumtyphoideum,Sorghum vulgare,Sorghum bicolor,Sesbania rostrata, andCyamopsistetragonoloba) and winter (Trifolium alexandrinum,Medicago sativa,Brassica campestris,Trifolium resupinatum,Brassica juncea, andBrassica napus) were grown with sewage water andtap water treatment. The experiment was laid down in a completely randomized design with fivereplicates. The concentration of zinc in water, root and forage samples were analysed by atomicabsorption spectrophotometer. In tap water, the zinc value was 0.498 mg/L and in wastewater0.509 mg/L, respectively. The maximum level of zinc in the forages leaves was 3.582 mg/kgfound inBrassica napusgrown in the winter season.The maximum observed value for zincbioconcentration factor inBrassica junceawas (2.88) grown in winter. The values of pollutionload index for zinc were found less than 1. The values of dailyintake of metal and health riskindex for zinc in all forages were less than 1 indicated that consumption of these forages was freeof risk.