Environmental education for the responsible use of wastewater from oxidation ponds in semidesert agricultural soils
Keywords:
agriculture, biosafety, environmental education, wastewater, wastewater reuseAbstract
Introduction: The agricultural use of wastewater requires environmental education to differentiate potentially useful contributions from risks associated with water quality and management. Objective: To describe environmental education for the responsible use of wastewater from oxidation ponds in semi-desert agricultural soil. Materials and Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was conducted in Santiago, Ica, Peru, during 2026. Laboratory results issued by an accredited laboratory for influent and intermediate effluent samples were analyzed. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5,20), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen, total phosphorus, pH, fecal coliforms, and total coliforms were considered. The results were compared with Peruvian environmental standards and organized into an educational matrix addressing beneficial and adverse implications for soil, farmer exposure, and responsible-use guidelines. Results: The effluent showed reduced organic matter and nutrient loads, although elevated microbiological concentrations persisted. A dual condition was identified: nitrogen and phosphorus represented potentially useful contributions to plant nutrition, whereas BOD5,20 and COD indicated the presence of organic matter. Fecal and total coliforms evidenced microbiological contamination without direct agricultural benefit. The main potential occupational exposure was associated with soil tillage and planting activities. Discussion: The findings supported an educational approach that differentiated the nutritional contribution from the sanitary condition of the effluent. Conclusions: Environmental education prioritized hand protection, hygiene, and biosafety, avoiding the consideration of nutrients as an indicator of safety and promoting responsible decision-making in the context of insufficient wastewater treatment.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Félix Ricardo Belli Carhuayo, Rene Anselmo De la Torre Castro, Luis Alberto Massa Palacios, Juan Américo Farfán Flores, George Argota Pérez
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