USE OF HYDROGEL BASED SOIL AMENDMENTS TO

PROMOTE SAFE USE OF WASTEWATER IN AGRICULTURE

Oral Defence by PhD Candidate Jaskaran Dhiman

Department of Bioresource Engineering
October 4, 2019 @ 14:30 — Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS2-022

Abstract
Increased food production, required for an increasing population, would place additional stress on our
freshwater resources. Since agriculture is the largest freshwater consumer, supplementation of
irrigation water with wastewater could be beneficial. However, wastewater contains contaminants like
heavy metals, which could be taken up by food crops and/or contaminate groundwater. To reduce
heavy metal mobility (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb & Zn) in soil and deter their uptake by potatoes (Solanum
tuberosum L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) irrigated with synthetic wastewater, polyacrylamide
superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and a mixture of SAP and plantain-peel biochar (SAP+BC) soil
amendments were tested. The study was carried out in field lysimeters (PVC cylinders; 1.00 m x 0.45 m
ID) packed with sandy soil. The amendments were mixed in soil, at an application rate of 1% (w/w). All
the treatments were replicated thrice, in a completely randomized design for each crop. It was found
that use of SAP and SAP+BC soil amendments can lead to reduced uptake of heavy metals by
wastewater irrigated crops (both underground and aboveground) grown on sandy soils, as well as
reduce heavy metal mobility in the soil. Thus, use of hydrogel based amendments in soil could
promote safe use of wastewater for irrigating crops, especially in developing countries.

About the Candidate

Jaskaran Dhiman holds a master’s degree in Biosystems Engineering from Auburn
University, AL, USA. He joined Dr. Shiv Prasher’s lab group to pursue his Ph.D. in
Bioresource Engineering. Jaskaran has been actively involved in extracurricular activities,
including working on a Mitacs funded research project on wastewater treatment in India.
Currently, he is working as a mentor with Mitacs and serves as the chair in IC-IMPACTS’
student engagement committee (SEC).