The Effect of Greywater on the Growth of Lepidium sativum and Soil Quality

School Name

Heathwood Hall

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Written Paper Award

4th Place

Abstract

This experiment studied the effect of greywater on the growth of Lepidium sativum, garden cress, and soil quality. 54 pots were filled with 3 ½ inches of soil and 25 garden cress seeds were sprinkled in each pot. The pH of the soil was taken using a pH meter before watering started. 27 pots with seeds were watered with greywater and 27 pots with seeds were watered with tap-water every other day for 16 days. The average height of growth was measured for each water type with a ruler every other day. Final pH measurements and hydrophobicity tests were conducted 5 days after watering finished. To determine hydrophobicity, .3 inches of soil had individual drops of water released onto the surface. If water was not immediately absorbed, it is hydrophobic. The hydrophobicity test was run for each pot. It was hypothesized that the growth of greywater and tap-water samples would have no significant difference, soil exposed to greywater would have a higher pH than soil exposed to tap-water, and greywater soil would be hydrophobic. The results supported part of the hypothesis because there was no significant difference between growth of plants watered with greywater and plants watered with tap-water, the soil exposed to greywater had a higher final pH than the soil exposed to tap-water, but neither soil group was hydrophobic which is contrary to what was hypothesized.

Location

Wall 206

Start Date

3-25-2017 10:00 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 10:00 AM

The Effect of Greywater on the Growth of Lepidium sativum and Soil Quality

Wall 206

This experiment studied the effect of greywater on the growth of Lepidium sativum, garden cress, and soil quality. 54 pots were filled with 3 ½ inches of soil and 25 garden cress seeds were sprinkled in each pot. The pH of the soil was taken using a pH meter before watering started. 27 pots with seeds were watered with greywater and 27 pots with seeds were watered with tap-water every other day for 16 days. The average height of growth was measured for each water type with a ruler every other day. Final pH measurements and hydrophobicity tests were conducted 5 days after watering finished. To determine hydrophobicity, .3 inches of soil had individual drops of water released onto the surface. If water was not immediately absorbed, it is hydrophobic. The hydrophobicity test was run for each pot. It was hypothesized that the growth of greywater and tap-water samples would have no significant difference, soil exposed to greywater would have a higher pH than soil exposed to tap-water, and greywater soil would be hydrophobic. The results supported part of the hypothesis because there was no significant difference between growth of plants watered with greywater and plants watered with tap-water, the soil exposed to greywater had a higher final pH than the soil exposed to tap-water, but neither soil group was hydrophobic which is contrary to what was hypothesized.