Effects of Greywater on Helianthus Annuus Growth. Nicole Fleming and Mary McDonald EDUC Matthew Roy. February 26, 2014

Transcription

1 1 Running Head: EFFECTS OF GREYWATER Effects of Greywater on Helianthus Annuus Growth Nicole Fleming and Mary McDonald EDUC-4260 Matthew Roy February 26, 2014

2 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 2 Abstract This paper is about the impacts of greywater on the growth of plants. The study looked at the effects of four different types of greywater on the growth of Helianthus Annuus (sunflower) plants. It studied the effects of laundry water, dish water, shower water, and a mixture of the three on plant growth. This was done by allocating three Helianthus Annuus plants for each type of water, watering them every day for a period of 29 days and measuring them once a week. The study found that the mixture of the three types of greywater resulted in the most growth. Following that it was shower, laundry and dish water in respective order with the control having the least amount of growth. The higher amount of natural and some artificial materials in the various grey waters enabled the plants to have higher levels of growth. Introduction Greywater is composed of non-toilet wastewater that households produce, which can include water from showers, sinks, and washing machines (Wiel-Shafran, Ronen, Weisbrod, Adar & Gross, 2005). The use of said greywater for irrigation is becoming increasingly common (Wiel-Shafran et al, 2005), especially for irrigation of household lawns and gardens (Misra, Patel, & Baxi, 2010). According to current studies, the use of untreated greywater can result in poor soil quality and can increase environmental pollution (Wiel-Shafran et al, 2005). It is also considered hazardous for humans, as there is the potential for infection to occur (Misra, 2010). The use of greywater for irrigation may reduce plant growth due high concentrations of sodium, zinc and aluminium that is found in greywater (Misra, 2010); therefore, it may not be considered a viable option for irrigation.

3 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 3 The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the impact of greywater on plant growth, and to determine the applicability of using grey water for plant growth. The results can be used to justify the use and application of greywater for sustaining plant growth in daily life. Controlling the type of greywater given to each plant enabled the demonstration of which source of liquid allows for the greatest amount of plant growth. Greywater can be collected in a number of different ways. For this study, the greywater was collected by gather all liquid and associated materials from each source, and then taking a sample of each source. Each sample was used for the entire duration of the study. Greywater is apart of our daily lives, and the use of greywater can help with the conservation of water. Research of this nature is important for water conservation and environmental sustainability, as it demonstrates alternative methods for watering plants, while still producing growth. Hypothesis If grey water is used to water the Helianthus Annuus seeds then there will be a reduction in plant growth compared to the growth of the control plants. Research Question When comparing grey water sources, the dish water will produce the most growth. This is due to the composition of the dish water, which is likely to include bacteria, organic matter, food particles, fat, oil, grease, which positively affects plant growth (Jordan, 2006, p. 10). This positive plant growth will be due to more nutrients being available to the plant from the greywater, outweighing the negative affects caused by soap and detergent residue. The shower water will produce the second most growth, also due to the increase in organic matter. The organic matter, which may include bacteria, hair, organic material, [and]

4 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 4 skin particles (Jordan, 2006, p. 10), will be present in a smaller concentration than that of the dish water, producing less growth than the plants watered with dish water. The laundry water will produce the third most growth of the greywater sources, due to the lack of organic matter in comparison to the other sources of greywater. Since laundry water often contain detergents with bleach, the salinity and ph of this greywater source is increased, which negatively affects the growth of plants (Jordan, 2006). We believe that the mixed greywater will produce the least growth, due to higher levels of soaps and detergents, which will negatively affect the growth of plants (Jordan, 2006). The presence of these soaps and detergents will outweigh the positive effects from the organic matter presence, overall negatively effecting plant growth. Due to the presence of detergents in all of the sources of greywater, all plants will have less growth than that of the control. Materials 460 milliliters of Tap water 460 milliliters of Laundry Water 460 milliliters of Dishwater 460 milliliters of Shower water Mixed water: 1:1:1 ratio of the various grey waters listed above 5 Helianthus Annuus seeds 15 planter pots 3.54 liters of Miracle Gro - Seed starting soil Tablespoon 4 containers for the water

5 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 5 Method This study was conducted over the period of 30 days. To begin, the 15 Helianthus Annuus (herein referred to as sunflower) seeds, from the same package, were submerged in tap water for a period of 24 hours prior to being planted. The seeds that were selected were of similar size to attempt to control the starting conditions. When planting the seeds, 237 ml of soil was placed in each of the 15 planter pots and a 12.5 mm hole was dug in each pot. A sunflower seed was then placed in each hole and covered with soil. Each planter pot was had 30 milliliters (two tablespoons) of the appropriate water source poured directly over where the seeds had been planted. There were three seeds planted in separate planter pots for each source of water, therefore, there were: o three seeds planted for tap water o three seeds planted for laundry water o three seeds planted for shower water o three seeds planted for dish water o three seeds planted for a mixture of the greywater Each planter pot received 15 ml (one tablespoon) of the assigned water source daily, for 29 days. The plants were placed on a table where all of the plants would get the same amount of sunlight. They were away from the heaters in the room and the room was kept at a constant temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. All of the sources of grey water were obtained on the first day of the experiment and used throughout the duration of the experiment. The laundry water was collected when there was 150 ml of Sunlight Cold Water laundry detergent for 170 L. There was 15 ml of dish soap in 20 L of dishwater. For the shower water 30 ml of soap and shampoo combined was put into 80 L of shower water. Observations were made when growth was first observed, and then were recorded weekly from the day of planting. Measurements

6 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 6 were taken from the soil to the highest point on the plant, or the apex. If the plant was not able to support itself, then it was lifted to the height it would naturally be standing if it were able to support itself, and measurements were taken from the apex of that standing position. Figure 1: Planting Arrangement of the Sunflower Seeds Safety Considerations When conducting this experiment, it is important to prevent any materials from being ingested, inhaled, or contact with the eyes. This includes soils, and greywater sources. Due to the composition of the soil and the greywater sources, ingestion, inhalation, or contact with the eyes could result in irritation. To prevent this, wear safety goggles and proceed with caution when handling soils and greywater. If ingestion, inhalation, or contact with the eyes occurs, follow appropriate warnings on containers of soils, soaps, and detergents.

7 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 7 Results December 1st was the first day that we saw growth. 90 Tallest Plant Growth for the Various Types of Grey Water Sources Plant Growth (mm) Control Plant Growth Dishwater Plant Growth Shower Water Plant Growth Laundry Water Plant Growth Mixed Grey Water Plant Growth Day Chart 1. The Comparison of the Effects of Different Types of Grey Water on Plant Growth Plant Growth (mm) Sun<lower Plant Growth For the Control Day Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Chart 2. Control Plant Growth

8 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 8 Sun<lower Plant Growth For Dishwater Plant Growth (mm) Days Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Chart 3. Dish Water Plant Growth Plant Growth (mm) Sun<lower Plant Growth for Shower Water Days Chart 4. Shower Water Plant Growth Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

9 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 9 Plant Growth (mm) Sun<lower Plant Growth For Laundry Water Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Day Chart 5. Laundry Water Plant Growth Sun<lower Plant Growth For Mixed Water Plant Growth (mm) Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Day Chart 6. Mixed Grey Water Plant Growth As demonstrated in the results above, the mixed greywater had the largest amount of plant growth. The next source of greywater that had a large amount of plant growth was the shower water, followed by laundry water, dishwater, and finally the control plant. The three plants for each source of water had similar results and were consistent with the overall comparison of plant growth between the various sources of greywater.

10 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 10 Discussion There was a large amount of plant growth in the mixture of the three types of greywater (refer to Chart 6), potentially due to the idea that there were the most amounts of potential nutrients to optimize the amount of plant growth. Within the laundry machine, there are materials like dirt, lint, oil, grease, organic material, sodium, nitrates, and phosphates, bleach, increase the salinity and ph (Jordan, 2006, p.10). The natural ingredients like skin and other organic materials in addition to the nitrates and phosphates all give the plants more nutrients to help increase the amount of growth (Jordan, 2006). In our laundry water, we did not use bleach or a detergent containing bleach, therefore, our grey water contained fewer materials than listed above. Due to the nature of laundry water and from our research, we speculate that there would be organic matter, dirt, lint, grease, nitrates, and phosphates; all of which give the plants more nutrients and assist in growth, compared to the control (refer to Chart 1). In dish water there is likely to be bacteria, organic matter, food particles, fat, oil, grease, soap, and detergent residue, which affects plant growth (Jordan, 2006, p. 10). Although there is some organic matter, which will increase the amount of plant growth for these plants, the soaps and detergent residues have chemicals that reduce the amount of plant growth (Jordan, 2006). Food particles, oil, and grease could be observed in the dish water that was collected, leading us to believe that there was also bacteria and other organic matter; as well as the soap and detergent residue. Each of those components would affect plant growth compared to the control (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 3). Unlike what we additionally believed, the dish water did not have a lot of plant growth, presumably due to the high concentrations of soaps, detergent, and grease, which negatively affects plant growth.

11 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 11 For shower water, there is usually bacteria, hair, organic material, skin particles, lint, oil, grease, soap, and detergent residue (Jordan, 2006, p.10). Just like with the dish water, some of the organic matter will help increase the growth of the plants (Jordan, 2006), while other components of the grey water will hinder growth. The shampoos, soaps, and conditioners that are part of the shower water contain more chemicals such as bleaches, sodium and chloride, which are very harmful to sunflower plants (Jordan, 2006; Wang et. al, 2012). Within our sources of greywater, the make-up positively affected the growth of the plants, resulting in more growth than the control (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 4), potentially due to the low concentrations of soaps in comparison to the concentration of organic materials, such as the ones listed above. The mixed source of greywater had the most growth (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 6). It is believed that this growth was due to a higher concentration of organic material from the combination of the sources of greywater, which allowed for the increased plant growth. It is also believed, due to the increased plant growth that this source had a lower concentration of soaps and detergents, which resulted in less inhibition of plant growth. With an increase in ratio of water to soaps, detergents, shampoos and other chemical products used for cleaning, there was a decrease in the potential chemicals in the sources used to irrigate the plants. The increase of these chemicals, such as sodium, decreased the amount of water being absorbed by the plants (Jordan, 2006). Chemicals like sodium also decrease the amount of discolouring and burning of the leaves (Jordan, 2006). Although we did not find this happening to any of our plants, as they were all green and standing upright, it would be good to look at what point this would happen.

12 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 12 Errors This study encountered some experimental errors, which may have influenced our results. There could have been some human error, which would include incorrect measurement of the amount of soil added initially, and the amount of liquids given to each plant. This could have been due to sloppiness or spilling of materials during measurement and transfer from the source to the plant. When collecting the sources of greywater, improper collection techniques may have affected the composition of the greywater sources and ultimately affected the growth of the plants. This could include the improper cleaning of holding containers or measurement equipment, which could have contaminated the greywater sources and/or the plants. During observation and recording, poor recording could have occurred from a variation of eye level when reading the measurement. This would result in improper measurements being taken, altering the results. Taking precautions to be aware of human errors and being precautious during steps will assist in minimizing human errors. These precautions can include accurate measurements of materials by using proper and specific measuring tools, measuring results from eye level, and not rushing through steps. Experimental errors could have also occurred, which would also alter the results. The location of the plants within the set-up of the experiment would influence the conditions, which the plants were under. Movement and rotation of plants could have assisted in minimizing this effect. Another error is the differentiation of seeds, due to natural differences, which results in different abilities of growth and successful maturation. During measurement and transfer of greywater from source to plant, evaporation of the liquid may have occurred due to natural environmental effects on the liquids. This evaporation alters the amount of liquid being given to the plants, influencing the results. Awareness of experimental error can allow for a more accurate interpretation of the results.

13 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 13 Conclusion All of our plants had growth, suggesting that each mixture of grey water had natural and organic matter, which assisted in growth; rather than harmful chemicals that would hinder growth. Our results did not support our hypothesis. The control, in fact, had the least amount of growth when we predicted that the control would have the greatest amount of growth. We also thought that the sunflower seeds watered with the mixed grey water would produce the least amount of growth; instead they had the greatest amount of growth. Our other prediction was that the shower water would produce the greatest amount of growth, and it showed the second greatest amount of growth. Although our hypothesis was disproved, we were pleased with our results; which support the use of grey water for watering household plants. It is difficult to determine how successful future uses of grey water use for watering household plants will be, because the concentration of grey water will change from household to household. By using watered down greywater or organic soaps, there would be an increase in plant growth, as there would be a further reduction in the amount of harmful chemicals (Jordan, 2006). Since the concentrations that were used for this study may not be the same concentrations used in homes, the results will vary in different situations. We suggest watering down grey water to decrease the concentration of potential harmful chemicals, and increase the potential for growth. Overall, this study found that using grey water to irrigate household plants is a viable option for reducing water consumption, while still having positive plant growth.

14 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 14 References Jordan, A. (2006). Overview of greywater management Health considerations. World Health Organization. Retrieven Jan 11th, 2014 from, dsaf/dsa1203.pdf Misra, R. K., Patel, J. H., & Baxi, V. R. (2010). Reuse potential of laundry greywater for irrigation based on growth, water and nutrient use of tomato. J. Hydrol., 386(1-4), Planet Ark. (2007). Grey Water. Retrieved Jan 10th, 2014 from, ark.org/documents/doc-163-greywater-information-guide.pdf Wang, J., Bai, Z., Yang, P., (2012). Sodic Soil Properties and Sunflower Growth as Affected by the Byproducts of Flue Gas Desulfurization. PLoS ONE 7(12): e doi: /journal.pone Wiel-Shefran, A., Ronen, Z., Weisbrod, N., Adar, E., & Gross, A. (2005). Potential changes in soil properties following irrigation with surfactant-rich greywater. Ecological Engineering, 26,

15 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 15 APPENDIX 1 Day Control Dishwater Shower Laundry Mixed Grey Plant Plant Growth water Plant Water Plant Water Plant Growth (mm) 4 growth growth Growth (mm) 5 (mm) 2 (mm) 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 1. Tallest Plant Growth for the Various Types of Water Sources

16 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 16 Day Plant 1 ( mm) Plant 2 ( mm) Plant 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 2. Plant Growth For the Control

17 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 17 Day Plant 1 ( mm) Plant 2 ( mm) Plant 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 3. Dishwater Plant Growth

18 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 18 Day Plant 1 ( mm) Plant 2 ( mm) Plant 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 4. Shower Water Plant Growth

19 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 19 Day Plant 1 ( mm) Plant 2 ( mm) Plant 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 5. Laundry Water Plant Growth

20 EFFECTS OF GREYWATER 20 Day Plant 1 ( mm) Plant 2 ( mm) Plant 3 (mm) Nov. 25th, Dec. 1st, Dec. 8, Dec. 15th, Dec.22nd Table 6. Mixed Grey Water Plant Growth