The occurrence of antibiotics in treated wastewater effluent has been a concern worldwide for various reasons: most importantly development of antibiotics resistance by bacteria and other microorganism, impact of antibiotics on animal life in surface water and likely consequences on humans if treated wastewater is used for drinking water supply through the process of managed aquifer recharge (MAR). Another potential area of concern is the uptake of these antibiotics by crops irrigated by treated wastewater. In Oman, wastewater treatment and reuse is pursued vigorously as a government policy. Treated wastewater is used for crop irrigation following government regulations, MAR is being contemplated and practiced in small scale and release of such waters in the ocean takes place from time to time. Some tests have been conducted on the wastewater effluent around the world to verify and detect the concentration of antibiotics in wastewater effluent. In the Sultanate of Oman, very little research has been performed on the occurrence of antibiotics in treated wastewater, removal efficiencies of treatment processes and development of antibiotics resistance. It is expected that wastewater reuse will increase substantially due to expansion of sewerage network in the capital city as well as many other cities and towns. As such, it is imperative that research be undertaken to find out various issues related to commonly used antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, erythromycin, linezolid, penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, minocycline, tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole in Oman and their ultimate fate through the treatment process. In addition, the development of guidelines is crucial in amounts of antibiotics acceptably occurring in treated wastewater effluent and if they could be suitable for agriculture without causing any harm. A review of the available literature and data are provided in this article. Research needs have been identified.

It is well recognized that management of wastewater and sludge is a critical environmental issue in many countries. Wastewater treatment and sludge production take place under different technical, economic, and social contexts, thus requiring different approaches and involving different solutions. In most cases, a regular and environmentally safe wastewater treatment and associated sludge management requires the development of realistic and enforceable regulations, as well as treatment systems appropriate to local circumstances. The main objective of this paper is to provide useful information about the current wastewater and sludge treatment, management, regulations, and research in Oman. Based on the review and discussion, the wastewater treatment and sludge management in Oman has been evolving over the years. Further, the land application of sewage sludge should encourage revision of existing standards, regulations, and policies for the management and beneficial use of sewage sludge in Oman. Implications: Wastewater treatment and sludge management in Oman have been evolving over the years. Sludge utilization has been a challenge due to its association with human waste. Therefore, composting of sewage sludge is the best option in agriculture activities. Sludge and wastewater utilization can add up positively in the economic aspects of the country in terms of creating jobs and improving annual income rate. The number of research projects done on wastewater reuse and other ongoing ones related to the land application of sewage sludge should encourage revision of existing standards, regulations, and policies for the management and beneficial use of sewage sludge in Oman.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to give professionals, researchers and policy makers in Oman and the region understanding of the climate change implications for better planning. The likely impacts will cause serious damage to the economy of Oman which already suffers from aridity, soil salinity, recurrent drought and water scarcity. This paper highlights the work being carried out and current knowledge and efforts being made in view of climate change challenges in Oman.Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a literature review of texts and references sourced from scientific reports, research papers and other published documents by various national and international agencies.Findings: Sultanate of Oman is vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change, the most significant of which are increased average temperatures, less and more erratic precipitation, sea level rise (SLR) and desertification. Integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation in development strategies and policies is a must for a country like Oman which is at the early stage of economic and industrial development.Research limitations/implications: It is not clear from existing data that any organized research effort is ongoing in Oman to tackle various climate change related issues. There are number of projects undertaken may look impressive but none of the projects was taken up as a direct response to climate change concerns. A small and scattered number of research studies have been published in the field of climate change, and there are many gaps that still need to be filled in the future, especially pertaining to the vulnerability of water resources, agriculture, and biodiversity of Oman.Originality/value: The paper offers inputs for researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders on issues related to climate change and its management in Oman and the region.

To examine the effects of the application of composted sewage sludge fertilizer (commercially sold as Kala compost) and inorganic (NPK) fertilizers on soil quality and on two crops (radish and beans) irrigated using groundwater and sewage treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation by measuring heavy metals in the soil and plants and other parameters such as crops yield, TOC in soil, chlorophyll index and total nitrogen.

This study conducted to assess the presence of pharmaceuticals in soils and crops irrigated with treated wastewater in Oman. The study was aimed to evaluate the potential of plant uptake of four commonly used pharmaceuticals in Oman: amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and ibuprofen by radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativius) in soil culture.