title: Toxicity tests of soil contaminated by recycling of scrap plastics.
abstract: The present investigation studied the toxicity of soil contaminated by untreated discharge from a factory that recycles used plastics. The nearby agricultural areas and freshwater fish ponds were polluted with high concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Mn. Water extracts from the contaminated soil retarded root growth of Brassica chinensis (Chinese white cabbage) and Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) where their seeds were obtained commercially. The contaminated populations of C. dactylon, Panicum repen (panic grass), and Imperata cylindrica (wooly grass) were able to withstand higher concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Mn, especially C. dactylon, when compared with their uncontaminated counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist College, Kowloon.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Chui
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D010969:Plastics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D008670:Metals; D010969:Plastics; D012989:Soil Pollutants