The Effects of Runoff Pollutants on Various Aquatic Plants

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal of this project was to observe the reaction of various aquatic plant species to the pollutants: motor oil, car wash detergent, fertilizer, and water-based paint. Methods/Materials In this project, two gallon sized aquarium tanks were used, along with Anubias Nana plants, Amazon Sword plants, Pennywort plants, and Dwarf Sagittaria plants. In every tank, there was one of each plant species. Approximately every five days, 237 mL of water was collected and mixed with 1.6 mL of a pollutant, then poured back evenly, across the surface of the water in the tank. Each tank was subjected to a different pollutant, with the exception of a control tank. Besides recording the plants' reactions to the pollutants, the water was tested for its pH, ammonia, nitrite, and hardness level as indicators of environmental health. Results In the first week, there were no significant changes. By the end of the second week, in all tanks, some leaves of the Anubias Nanas were turning brown. The Pennywort exposed to "fertilizer runoff" was also browning. In the third week, the Anubias Nanas subjected to the detergent and "oil runoff" began to die, along with the Amazon Sword plant exposed to the "fertilizer runoff". After four weeks, the Amazon Sword, Pennywort, and Anubias Nana plants exposed to the "fertilizer runoff" had decomposed, as had the Anubias Nana subjected to the "detergent runoff". By five weeks, the Anubias Nana subjected to the "oil runoff" had decayed. Conclusions/Discussion After 5 weeks of introducing the pollutants, the "fertilizer runoff" appeared to have the most negative impact on the four species of plants. The "detergent runoff" had slightly less impact and was similar to the "oil runoff" results. Surprisingly, the water-based "paint runoff" did not produce any visible damage to the health of the plants.

Competition history

• CSEF 2004 Environmental Science (Junior Division Only) · Entry J0921

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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