Petroleum coke and plants: Impact on growth and physiology.

摘要

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the effects of coke, a by-product of the oil sand industry, on the emergence, growth and physiology of Triticum aestivum, Deschampsia caespitosa, Calamagrostis canadensis, Agropyron trachycaulum, Oryzopsis hymenoides, Fragaria virginiana and Cornus sericea. Accumulation of potentially toxic elements in plant tissues was also determined. Plants were grown in peat-mineral mix (control) or coke produced by Syncrude Canada Ltd. or Suncor Energy Inc. Coke had little effect on the emergence of grasses. In most cases, biomass, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were lower in coke treated plants than in controls. Transpiration rates of plants grown in coke either decreased or remained unchanged when compared with controls. In some cases, nickel, vanadium, boron and molybdenum were found at higher concentration in coke treated plants than in controls. The results suggested that plants growing in coke suffered from water stress, nutrient deficiency and potentially metal toxicity. Recommendations for revegetation of coke storage sites and future studies are made based on the results of these studies.