Pilot Plant for Boron Removal from Naturally Contaminated Irrigation Water

A pilot plant for removing boron from irrigation water was installed in a commercial farm located in the Lluta River Valley (Arica, Chile). Water prior treatment contained dissolved boron concentration ranging from 17.98 to 23.76 mg L-1. After treatment, boron concentration substantially dropped to 1.28 to 1.79 mg L-1. Treatment did not affect either pH or electrical conductivity of treated water. Over a period of 8 months, 7,440 m3 ha-1 (898.55 mm) of the treated water were used for irrigation of a commercial field of tomato which produced 130.4 Mg ha-1 and over 75% of the highest value commercial fruit size. The average operational cost of the pilot plant was US$0.46 m-3. This operational cost, which amounts to 6.5% of the tomato production cost in the area where the study was conducted, is compatible with a profitable agricultural activity under the conditions of Lluta Valley.