COMPARATIVE SEED GERMINATION TESTS USING
349
Jr. of Industrial Pollution Control 21 (2)(2005) pp 349- 354
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COMPARATIVE SEED GERMINATION TESTS USING THREE PLANT SPECIES FOR TOXICITY
ASSESSMENT OF TEXTILE DYEING EFFLUENT
R. MALA * AND S. SARAVANA BABU**
*P.G.Dept. of Biochemistry, V.V.Vanniaperumal College For Women,
Virudhunagar - 626 001, T.N., India
** Department of Plant Science and Plant Biotechnology,
C.N. College, Erode - 638 004, T.N., India
Key words :Seed germination, Textile dyeing effluent.
ABSTRACT
Effluent sample was collected from textile dyeing factory.
The untreated effluent was diluted to 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%.
25%. 50%, 75% and 100%. The seed germination method was
employed to assess the phytotoxicity of the effluent to maize,
green gram and bhendhi. The results of the study indicated
that above 50% of effluent concentration, germination was
severely inhibited in the three plants, attesting to the extreme
toxicity of the effluent. Among the three plant species, bhendhi
was most sensitive followed by green gram. Comparatively
maize was tolerant to the effluent stress.
INTRODUCTION
Waste materials released from the industrial sources either in the form of
harmful gases or dust particles or liquid effluents containing several acids,
alkalies, organic and inorganic compounds, colour producing substances etc.
pollute the environmental components, where they are discharged. One of
the important environmental component is soil which is being polluted by
these industrial effluents and the pedo ecosystem around the factories are
disturbed. Sodium is one of the strongest monovalent cations whose higher
concentration upsets the mineral composition of soil (Kelly, 1963; Black 1968;
Hesse, 1970). In hazard assessment and/or treatability studies of complex
effluents, it is important to determine the intrinsic toxicity (Wuncheng Wang
and Williams, 1989). Phytotoxicity tests using higher plants are relatively new
SARVANA BABU et al.
350
as a part of ecotoxicity tests. Wang (1985; 1986; 1987), reported that, the’millet
seed germination/root elongation are a potentially useful tool for effluent
toxicity determination. Many plant species have been recommended for ecotoxicity tests using seed germination and root elongation methods. Among
them cabbage, lettuce and oats are recommended by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (F.PA) (1982), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
(1987) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
(1984). Several other plant species are recommended by each agency
MATERIAL AND METHOD
Textile dyeing effluent sample
The effluent sample from an exhausted dye both of a textile dyeing factory
was obtained. Detailed physico-chemical analysis of the effluent sample was
performed by following standard methods (APHA, 1995).
Seed germination tests
The seeds of maize, green gram and bhendhi were purchased from Agricultural University, Madurai and used in this study. The seeds were treated with
standard water as a control and diluted effluent (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 50%,
75% and 100%) for all tests. After 120 hour incubation in the dark, the seeds
were examined to determine whether they had germinated. A 5-mm primary
root was used as the operation definition of germination (USEPA, 1982).
Seed germination test conditions :
1. Test Type
Static
2. Temperature 250C
3.Light
No
4. Test Vessel
100 x10 mm culture petridish + what man No. 1 filter
paper.
5. Test Volume
5 ml/dish
6.Seeds
16/dish
7. Water Control Standard water
8. Test Solution Effluent in different dilutions (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%,
50%, 75% and 100%)
9. Test Duration 72 hours
10. End point Germinatiom, primary root equap to or greater than 5
mm.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Effluent Sample
The textile dyeing effluent had a intense colour with an alkaline pH of 10.0.
The COD was 880 ppm and BOD was 400 ppm. The concentration of calcium,
magnesium, sulphate, sodium and potassium were also high (Table-1).
Table - 1
Charactristics of textile dyeing effluent
COMPARATIVE SEED GERMINATION TESTS USING
S.No.
Character
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
pH10.8
Colour ( % T)
75
Turbidity (NTU)
Oil
Conductivity (u. mohs/cm)
950
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
3500
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
880
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
400
Chloride
900
Total Hardness
600
Calcium95
Magnesium
75
Sulphate
2520
Sodium
875
Pottasium
10
N itrogen
25
Phosphorus9.5
351
Value
All units in ppm except pH, colour, conductivity and turbidity.
Seed germination test
The seed germination of control and tests in this experiment is given in Table-2
and Figure -1. Above 25% of effluent, the seed germination in all the 3 plants
are significantly reduced. Comparatively maize was tolerant than bhendhi
and green gram. Toxic effect is typically expressed by taking into account the
results of control sample (American Society for Testing and Materials, 1987).
The net inhibition of the sample is defined as I - (number of seeds germinated
in the test sample / number of seeds germinated in control) x 100 (Fig. 1) and
it is presented in Figure - 2. The results were comparable with the results of
Wuncheng Wang and Williams(1989), Wuncheng Wang (1990), Tripathy
et al. (1990) and Swaminathan and Vaidheeswaran (1991).
Phytotoxicity tests for effluent toxicity testing are relatively new approach
in comparison with conventional test using the fathead minnow, Daphnia,
magna or green alga (Peltier and Weber, 1985). Many recent studies have
explored the potential of using higher plants for eco lexicological studies
(Behera and Misra, 1982; Pere et al., 1986; Thomas et al., 1986; Srivastava and
Sahai, 1987; and Wucheng Wang and Williams, 1989).
The toxic effect of pure effluent for seeding growth was attributed to the
high amount of total solids in the effluent. The solids will disturb the osmotic
relations of Ihe seed and waler ihus reducing Ihe amount of absorbed water
and retarding seed germination by enhanced solinity and conductivity of
the solutes being absorbed by seeds prior to germination. Further more the
germinated seeds will not get any oxygen thus reslricting their energy supply
through aerobic respiralion which is necessary for growth and development
of young seedlings. The net result will be Ihe growth restriction of radicle and
plumule (Handas and Stibbe, I973; Maguire, I973; Handas, 1976; Saxena et al.
1986).
Table - 2
COMPARATIVE SEED GERMINATION TESTS USING
SARVANA BABU et al.
352
Impact of textile dyeing effluent on the germination of seeds
Effect of textile dyeing effluent on seed germination (%)
Treatment
Maize
Green gram
Bhendhi
Control- 90 88
Effluent (%) 5
90
87
10
85
80
15
76
68
20
68
56
25
60
45
50
20
12
75
10
5
85
83
75
64
50
40
6
3
1
100
7
3
LITERATURE CITED
Fig -1. Effect of textile dyeing effluent on seed germination.
Fig. 2. Phytotoxicity of textile dyeing effluent.
353
American Public Health Association, 1995. Standard methods for the exami
nation of water and waste water, Washington.
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1987. Standard Practice for
conducting Static Acute Toxicity Tests with Larvae of four species of Bivalve
Molluscs, Annual Book of ASHD Standards, L. 724 80. Philadelphia, P.A.
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