Reducing microbial contamination on wastewater-irrigated lettuce by cessation of irrigation before harvesting

cg.creator.identifierDrechsel, Pay: 0000-0002-2592-8812en_US
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01936.xen_US
cg.issn1360-2276en_US
cg.issue2en_US
cg.journalTrop. Med. Int. Healthen_US
cg.river.basinVOLTAen_US
cg.subject.cpwfWATER MANAGEMENTen_US
cg.subject.cpwfIRRIGATIONen_US
cg.subject.cpwfWATER USEen_US
cg.volume12en_US
dc.contributor.authorKeraita, Bernard N.en_US
dc.contributor.authorKonradsen, Flemmingen_US
dc.contributor.authorDrechsel, Payen_US
dc.contributor.authorAbaidoo, Robert C.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-05-21T06:02:30Zen_US
dc.date.available2012-05-21T06:02:30Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/17047en_US
dc.titleReducing microbial contamination on wastewater-irrigated lettuce by cessation of irrigation before harvestingen_US
dcterms.abstractObjective  To assess the effectiveness of cessation of irrigation before harvesting in reducing microbial contamination of lettuce irrigated with wastewater in urban vegetable farming in Ghana.Methods  Assessment was done under actual field conditions with urban vegetable farmers in Ghana. Trials were arranged in completely randomized block design and done both in the dry and wet seasons. Seven hundred and twenty‐six lettuce samples and 36 water samples were analysed for thermotolerant coliforms and helminth eggs.Results  On average, 0.65 log units for indicator thermotolerant coliforms and 0.4 helminth eggs per 100 g of lettuce were removed on each non‐irrigated day from lettuce in the dry season. This corresponded to a daily loss of 1.4 tonnes / ha of fresh weight of lettuce. As an input for exposure analysis to make risk estimates, the decay coefficient, k, for thermotolerant coliforms was 0.66 / day for the wet season and 1.49 / day for the dry season.Conclusion  In combination with other measures for improving water quality, the measure can significantly reduce faecal contamination of lettuce during the dry season. However, it is not suitable for the wet season due to unfavourable conditions for pathogen die‐off and re‐contamination by splashes from contaminated soils. The results provide a good basis for risk assessments and for devising more appropriate measures for risk reduction, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Accessen_US
dcterms.available2007-11-14en_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationKeraita, B.N., Konradsen, F., Drechsel, P. and Abaidoo, R.C. 2007. Reducing microbial contamination on wastewater-irrigated lettuce by cessation of irrigation before harvesting. Trop. Med. Int. Health 12(2): 7-13.en_US
dcterms.extentp. 8-14en_US
dcterms.issued2007en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserveden_US
dcterms.publisherWileyen_US
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen_US

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