Andrew+Gray+and+Scott+Nichols

Title: Effects of pollutants on radish plants

Problem: Pollution is becoming a common threat to plants and humans alike.

Background Research: Pollution can be divided into natural pollution and anthropocentric pollution, which is pollution caused by humans (" Pollution ", 2001). Contaminated soil occurs due to many human actions which leave toxic or even radioactive chemicals in the soil, a threat to the plants and to humans ("Contaminated Soil", 2008). Contaminants can enter soil either at a specific location, also known as a point source, or in a wide general area, or a non-point source ("Contaminated Soil", 2008). Many soil contaminants contain hydrocarbons, or compounds that contain both hydrogen and carbon ("Contaminated Soil", 2008). Chemicals found in fuels are hydrocarbons ("Contaminated Soil," 2008). Other common contaminants chlorinated organic compounds (coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment), pesticides and wood preservatives, noxious chemicals like paraffin, and inorganic compounds of heavy metals, such as lead and mercury. ("Contaminated Soil", 2008). Pollution can also be caused by excess fertilization ("Pollution", 2001). We want to test to see how these pollutants effect plant growth. To do this, we will plant radish seeds and add pollutants to the soil. The independent variable will be the pollutants, and the dependent will be the growth of the radish plant.

Hypothesis: If we add anthropocentric pollutants to soil and plant a radish with it, the pesticide will harm the plant the most.

Materials:
 * Common Pesticide (owned)
 * 16 Ounces of Lead
 * Standard Car Anti-Freeze (owned)
 * Paraffin Candle
 * Plant Fertilizer (owned
 * 6 Radish seeds ($1.25)
 * 6 Plant Pots (Owned)

Procedure
 * 1) Put on safety goggles.
 * 2) Label pots "Control", "Fertilizer", "Paraffin", "Lead", "Pesticide', and "Anti-Freeze".
 * 3) Put of dirt into every pot.
 * 4) In one pot, squeeze twenty pumps of pesticide into the dirt.
 * 5) In another pot, place the 16 ounces of lead.
 * 6) In another pot, place the paraffin candle..
 * 7) Place a radish seed into every pot.
 * 8) Put the other of dirt into every pot.
 * 9) In a pot, put 100 mL of Anti-Freeze into the dirt
 * 10) In another pot, put 15 mL of fertilizer into the dirt.
 * 11) Place the pots in a location where each pot will receive the same amount of sunlight a day.
 * 12) Water the pots with the same amount of water (20 mL) every day.
 * 13) Also, when
 * 14) Every day, record how much the seed has grown in a data table. (Day one: No growth, Day Fifty: Sprouted, etc.)
 * 15) At the end of 75 days, end the table.

"Contaminated Soil." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 1097-1100. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.

"Pollution." UXL Encyclopedia of Science. U*X*L, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.

"Radish." //Park Seed: Vegetable Seeds, Flower Seeds, Plants, Bulbs, Trees and Gardening Supplies //. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

"Radishes." //Almanac //. Yankee Publishing Inc., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.