Published in Scientific Papers. Series E. Land Reclamation, Earth Observation & Surveying, Environmental Engineering, Vol. IX
Written by Paula COJOCARU, Gabriela BIALI
In the paper we studied the effects of soil pollution with cadmium, chromium and zinc on the germination and roots elongation of rape (Brassica napus), peas (Pisum sativum) and rye (Secale cereale). The soil used in the experiments was an OECD reference soil. The soil was contaminated with solutions of CdCl·H2O, K2Cr2O7 and ZnSO4·7H2O in concentrations from 200 mg/kg to 1200 mg/kg. At the maximum pollutant concentration in the respective soil, 1200 mg/kg, the lowest germination rate was obtained for pea seeds 34% (in the case of chrome soil pollution), for rye seeds 50% and 60%, respectively for seeds of rapeseed (in case of soil pollution with zinc). As far as elongation of the roots is concerned, zinc was the metal that most affected their growth. Thus, the root length decreased in the case of Pisum sativum from 44.08 mm (0 mg/kg) to 0.86 mm (at the concentration of 1200 mg/kg). Chromium was the only metal whose effect on rye seeds was the reverse, namely, to stimulate germination and to lengthen the roots with increasing soil concentration.
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