Assessment of Differential Sheer Stress Indices in Agricultural Soil Receiving Cafeteria Effluent

Abstract

This study looked at assessing the impact of waste water from a cafeteria in University of Nigeria, Nsukka on soil physicochemical properties and quality marker enzyme activity. Physicochemical analysis of the soil before and after irrigation with the domestic waste water from the cafeteria showed the presence of the following: pH 7.4 and 6.65, conductivity 488 and 792 respectively. Dissolved mineral contents were found in the following order: Cl>Ca>Fe>SO 4 >Mg>Cu>K>Pb>PO 3 while heavy metals of Hg, As and Cd were found at below detectable limit range (BDL) in both the irrigated and non-irrigated soil. Total organic matter (TOM) and total organic carbon (TOC) contents were found at 91.66, 22.05 and 76.85, 179.93 in the various treatments, respectively. BOD 5 of the waste water was found at 5.2mg/ml with initial dissolved oxygen concentrations at 6.2 mg/ml. Dissolved mineral concentrations such as Cl, Ca, Mg, PO 3 , Cu, Fe and SO 4 were found richly in abundance. Heavy metals such as Pb was found in trace quantity were as Cd, As and Hg were found in non-detectable range. TDS, TSS and TS were recorded at 23036, 396.5 and 23433. Analysis of soil enzymes showed the activity of the lipase, urease, peroxidase and catalase with corresponding OD reading of 0.403, 0.611, 0.652 and 0.817 respectively. There was an increase of lipase, urease and peroxidase after the irrigation with the waste with OD of 0.610, 0.677 and 0.712 respectively while catalase activity was reduced.