Plant Response to Aqueous Effluents Derived from in-Situ Fossil-Fuel Processing. Part I. Eight Plant Species and Their Response to Omega 9 Oil-Shale Retort Water

摘要

Growth response to water collected from an in situ oil shale retort experiment was studied. The purposes were to: (1) evaluate effect of retort water on plants; (2) document effective parameters for detecting differences in plant growth by species. A self feeding hydroponic system was utilized to subject different dilutions of oil shale retort water to plants grown in horticulture grade perlite under greenhouse conditions for 10 weeks. Parameters measured included: (1) leaf area, (2) total dry weight, (3) shoot weight, (4) root weight, (5) root/shoot ratio, and (6) shoot/leaf area ratio. Seven grass and one forb species were utilized as test plants. Results showed growth to be impaired, species to respond differently to retort water, and parameters measured to vary as to their ability to detect change in growth response. (ERA citation 08:004218)