Plant biotests for soil and water contaminated with oil and oil products

Abstract

Reactions of higher plants (mustard, oat, rye, lettuce, dill and barley) and microalgae (Euglena gracilis) to the contamination of soil and water with oil and oil products was studied. The germination of seeds was analyzed. The length of sprouts, dry biomass and length of plant roots, as well as the optical density of microalgal broth culture were determined. Negative effects of soil and water contamination with oil and oil products on plant and microalgal parameters examined was shown. After biological destruction of contaminants by an association of destructor strains (Acinetobacter sp., Mycobacterium flavescens and Rhodoccocus sp.), the toxicity of contaminated mediums decreased. The data suggest that the integral toxicity of soil and water contaminated with oil and oil products and toxicity changes during biodestruction of these pollutants can be analyzed by using plant test organisms.