El-Tohamy, S. A. ; M. M. El Kholy ; T. A. El-Maghraby and
Somaya A. Hassanein
( 2012). Profitable maximizing from the treated sewage effluent reuse for irrigating in newly reclaimed desert soils to produce biodiesel from the grown jatropha trees J. Soil Sci. and Agric. Eng., Mansoura Univ., Vol. 3 (3): 335 - 347, 2012
Abstract: This study is an important strategy to support the local best usage of marginal desert soils as well as low quality water as alternative irrigation water resources, for irrigating. Also, it represents a huge challenge and technical solution for an environmental problem, i.e., the utilization of contaminated sewage effluent as an alternative irrigation source for wooding the west desert outskirts of Luxor as well as Ismailia governorates, Egypt. With no competing food uses, this characteristic turns attention to Jatropha curcas trees, which grow in tropical and subtropical climates. Among the non-edible oil sources, Jatropha curcas is identified as a potential biodiesel source, which has added advantages as rapid growth, higher seed productivity, suitable for tropical and subtropical regions. The integrated combination between wastewater as an irrigation source, marginal desert soil and Jatropha curcas as potential biodiesel source represents a new agriculture strategy as well as affects the country's economy and its development. This is due to the possible adverse effects on either crop products or human health should be alleviated; besides it represents an ideal solution to meet out higher diesel demand.and oil imports. Also, such biodiesel, as a renewable energy source, is becoming increasingly important due to diminishing petroleum reserves and the environmental consequences of exhaust gases from petroleum fuelled engines. However, the released CO2 as an air volatile pollutant represents a fewer value equal about 20 % of that derived from petroleum fuelled engines. The special attention was focused to optimize the first step of the process for reducing the possible adverse effects of contaminated sewage effluent, among being passed through an oxidation or bio-remediation pond. The second attention was focused to optimize for reducing the possible adverse effects of the marginal desert sandy soil, among being applied a suitable irrigation system of drip irrigation system that partially capable to retain enough available soil moisture range for grown plants and biological activity. The obtained field studies and analytical data indicate that the experimental soil is encompassing by the aeolian deposits, and classified as Typic Torripsamments, siliceous, hyper thermic Typic. The suitability criteria of water source for irrigation purpose indicate that it lies in the first category C1S1, i.e., no problems for salinity and sodicity are expected. An elemental composition analysis of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb, Ni and Cr as well as biological criteria (i.e., COD, BOD, Fecal Coli, Salmonella and Shighla) was executed on each of the studied irrigation water and experimental soil, and it was found that their available contents still within the permissible limits, since their soluble values in the used irrigation water source are more than the fresh water. Hence, a field experiment was conducted on the chosen soil sites,.The agricultural management practices were conducted as usual. The obtained results showed also a beneficial effect of the applied irrigation water source on the grown plants, due to caused more pronounced increments in plant growth, seed yield and seed oil yield with high quality. As for, biodiesel production from seed oil of Jatropha curcas with a high content of free fatty acid .
Keywords: (New agricultural strategy, biodiesel, Jatropha curcas, marginal desert soil, sewage effluent)
