Improvement in Ryegrass Seed Germination for Diesel Contaminated Soils by Peg Treatment Technology

ISSN： 0959-3330

Source： Environmental Technology, Vol.20, Iss.4, 1999-04, pp. : 413-418

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Abstract

Phytoremediation of petroleum contaminated soils has been recognized as a potentially cost effective treatment technology and has gained much attention recently. Because grasses have fibrous root systems which can provide high surface areas for the soil microbial population to increase bioremediation in the rhizosphere, many researchers choose grass species as plants with great potential in the phytoremediation of petroleum contaminated soils. The presence of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons in soils at relatively low concentration (4000–8000 mg kg⁻¹ dry soil) could severely hinder seed germination resulting in poor plant establishment. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of using polyethylene glycol (PEG) seed pre-sowing treatment technology to solve the problem. Experiments were conducted with 15g of diesel contaminated soils. The results show that PEG seed pre-sowing treatment successfully avoided the phytotoxicity effects of volatile petroleum compounds on seed germination. The seed germination percentage as well as the uniformity of germination were significantly increased by PEG seed pre-sowing treatment. In one of the germination tests, ryegrass seed germination percentage was significantly increased from 60% (untreated dry seed) to 80% in clean soil samples and from 20% (untreated dry seed) to 90% in 3% (fresh contaminated) diesel soil samples with 20°C/20% PEG treatment. Short-term phytotoxicity effects of petroleum compounds on early seeding growth were observed.