COMPARATIVE SEED GERMINATION TESTS USING THREE PLANT SPECIES FOR TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF TEXTILE DYEING EFFLUENT

R. Mala¹ and S. Saravana Babu²

¹P.G.Dept. of Biochemistry, V.V.Vanniaperumal College For Women, Virudhunagar - 626 001, T.N., India

²Department of Plant Science and Plant Biotechnology, C.N. College, Erode - 638 004, T.N., India

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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.

Keywords

Seed germination, Textile dyeing effluent.

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 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

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).

Table 2: Impact of textile dyeing effluent on the germination of seeds Effect of textile dyeing effluent on seed germination (%)

Figure 1: Effect of textile dyeing effluent on seed germination.

Figure 2: Phytotoxicity of textile dyeing effluent.

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).

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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