Comparative Study of the Diesel Fuel Contamination Effects of Different Types of Soils on the Growth and Germination of Four Plant Species

Abstract

Abstract In this work, we studied the effects of different types of soils contaminated with diesel on the germination and early growth of four plant species (Xanthium strumarium, Avena sativa, Daucus carota, and Cerinthe major). We used four potting soils that we contaminated with different levels of diesel: 2.5%, 5%, and the control (0%). The results showed that the effect of the contamination depends on the species. Thus, compared with the three other species, X. strumarium showed the best results. This species showed good germination rates, with a lower rate of 50%. Its root length and weight were stimulated in the contaminated soils, and its shoot growth was less affected than that of the other species. The results depend also on the soil type. X. strumarium showed the best results in the different types of soils; thus, in soil three, at 5% diesel, all species showed a germination rate of 0%, but X. strumarium showed a rate of 50%. Our study demonstrated the variation in diesel effects across different plant species and soil types. The four species showed different levels of tolerance that varied with diesel concentrations, soil types, and parameters. We recommend performing phytoremediation tests in soils contaminated with petroleum products using preferably X. strumarium, but it would be interesting to test the other species. Additionally, it would be interesting to test the tolerance of this species using seeds extracted from the burs, to investigate the role of the X. strumarium burs in its tolerance to diesel contamination.

Keywords

• Plant species
• diesel
• contamination
• germination
• growth