When oil and gas are extracted from hydrocarbon-bearing formations significant amounts of connate water are produced. In some regions, many times more water is produced than oil. Although produced water may be reused on field for enhanced oil recovery and other purposes, typically excess water is generated and is managed as wastewater. Although many produced waters are high in salinity, some produced waters have relatively low total dissolved solids (e.g. &lt; 5,000 mg/L TDS) and are discharged to land or surface waters for disposal.  In arid regions these low TDS waters have been used for irrigation and livestock watering. There is an interest in expanding the use of produced water for agricultural irrigation, but there are concerns that this practice may present a public health risk and that the public health risks, if any, are poorly defined. Produced water contains both geogenic and anthropogenic constituents that are hazardous, but the risks associated with these hazards are dependent on many variables, including the specific reuse and the level of treatment before beneficial reuse. In this research, we have examined and evaluated potential water quality criteria for produced water beneficial reuse in the context of food safety. The research presented here concerns the establishment of appropriate water quality objectives for produced water reused for food crop production. We will present results from on-going studies examining the safety of using produced water for irrigated agriculture and the use of biological treatment systems to remove potentially hazardous substances from produced water.

Evaluation of risk associated with produced water reuse for food crop irrigation

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.