Slaughterhouse effluents and soil quality: A review

Abstract

The increased demand for food and water in a growing population leads to the need for sustainable food security strategies, in which the reuse of agro-industrial effluents may play an important role in addressing this challenge. However, only a few studies have focused on the impact of irrigation with slaughterhouse effluents on soil quality. Thus, this study aims to compile, classify, analyze, and discuss bibliometric data and soil quality assessments in studies on irrigation with slaughterhouse effluent. A bibliography research was conducted on the Web of Science and Scopus databases and a total of 29 records were selected and analyzed. Bibliometric aspects were evaluated and information about the methodological description of the experiment, the effluent and about soil quality was also extracted from the database. Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Nigeria are the countries with the most publications from 1970 onwards, with the first two countries having scientific cooperation with each other. These studies assessed mainly chemical soil properties, from which total/available N, total/available P and exchangeable K the ones that most positively affected soil quality. Soil physical and biological indicators of soil quality were less frequently investigated and therefore further research is needed, since they contribute to the correct understanding of soil health and strategic decision-making aimed at maintaining crop productivity and ecosystem services provided by the soil.