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Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater

Thesis (PhD (Chemical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007.

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Other Authors: Schutte, Frik
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Schutte, Frik
author_browse Schutte, Frik
author_facet Schutte, Frik
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD (Chemical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/29084
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:29.036Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/29084 Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater Schutte, Frik madyiwa@zol.co.zw Madyiwa, Simon Modelling pb and cd Cynodon nlemfuensis Sandy so UCTD Thesis (PhD (Chemical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. This study was conducted to investigate the capacity of Cynodon nlemfuensis (star grass) to accumulate lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) and develop metal uptake models for sandy soils receiving treated sewage from domestic and industrial sources. The study area comprised a non-polluted area and an adjacent area that received treated sewage from Harare’s Firle Wastewater Treatment Plant for over 30 years. Measured soil properties, total Pb and Cd in soils and grass and past records of Pb and Cd in treated sewage were analysed. Growing grass in a greenhouse in pots with previously non-polluted soils amended by single and mixed Pb and Cd salts and irrigated with treated sewage tested the uptake capacity of star grass. Yields, soil bio-available and grass Pb and Cd levels were measured and used to develop models for estimating critical soil and grass concentrations at which productivity declines. In the field, star grass grown in 10m x 10m plots in the non-irrigated and irrigated areas, received varying amounts of treated sewage over 11 months. Soil bio-available and grass metal contents were measured and used to develop field-based models to predict Pb and Cd content in star grass. Star grass had a high Pb and Cd extraction capacity, making it unsuitable for pasture if grown on polluted soils. Correlation between total Pb and Cd in soils and grass was insignificant (p<0.05). Logarithm-based models of log10 bio-available soil levels and log10 grass metal levels provided the best-fit regression models for Pb and Cd predictions in grass. Toxicity levels of Pb and Cd that were derived for star grass from pot-based models were higher than levels recommended for pasture. Toxicity occurred without visible signs on grass, making it difficult to recognise toxicity without testing. The field-based uptake models predicted safe bio-available limits for pasture on sandy soils. The co-presence of Pb and Cd resulted in increased Cd uptake but did not significantly affect Pb uptake. Star grass can accumulate more than 1 mg/kg of Cd at total soil Cd levels of less than 1 mg/kg, suggesting that the soil limit may be too high for a sandy soil. Chemical Engineering unrestricted 2013-09-07T14:50:41Z 2006-10-27 2013-09-07T14:50:41Z 2006-09-05 2007-10-27 2006-10-27 Thesis Madyiwa, S 2006, Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29084 > http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29084 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10272006-141644/ © 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Modelling pb and cd
Cynodon nlemfuensis
Sandy so
UCTD
Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title_full Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title_fullStr Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title_full_unstemmed Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title_short Modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
title_sort modelling lead and cadmium uptake by star grass under irrigation with treated wastewater
topic Modelling pb and cd
Cynodon nlemfuensis
Sandy so
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29084
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10272006-141644/