A study on the envirsonmental pollution due to paper industry was undertaken. The undiluted effluent of the paper mill was dark brown in colour, had slightly alkaline pH, high BOD, COD and EC with appreciable quantities of Cl−, SO42- and HCO3- of Ca, Mg, and Na and varying amounts of micronutrients. Soils irrigated with paper mill effluent had higher pH and EC. Effluent irrigation, in general, increased the available Nand K and decreased available P. DTPA-extractable Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were also increased due to effluent irrigation. Effluent irrigation did not affect the grain yield. These results suggest the possibility of using paper mill effluent for irrigating rice crop without much adverse effect on the growth and yield.
Paper mill, effluents, uptake, rice
