The Effects of Heavy Metals on Plants

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The Effects of Heavy Metals on Plants
By Sam Kirschner and Adam Call Monarch
High School
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What are the effects of metals on Jalapeno plants?
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Materials

• Iron nitrate 5x and 20x concentrations
• Zinc Nitrate 5x and 20x concentrations
• Jalapenos

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Hypotheses

• If it is true that zinc and iron are cofactors
  in DNA Expression, and we stress Jalapeno plants
  using zinc nitrate and iron nitrate, then the
  plants will show differences in phenotypes such
  as mutations that stunt growth and yield less
  fruit.
• We will test this hypothesis through an
  experiment involving a control group and four
  experimental groups that consist of two different
  concentrations for iron nitrate and zinc nitrate.

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Background
We decided to test the effects of manmade
pollutants in a controlled setting to see the
harm caused to our natural world by heavy metal
runoff. The majority of different nitrate
pollutants are the result of human waste and
large-scale factory farms. Farther downstream
these nitrates slip through current water
filtration systems, odorless and tasteless they
slowly build up a poisonous residue in the body.
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Background Continued

• We also are interested in the effects on Plants
• Jalapenos (small, yield fruit, short life span
  (65 days))

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Procedure

• 5 groups 1 control 4 Experimental
• Zinc Nitrate 5x and 20x
• Iron Nitrate 5x and 20x

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Procedure- Controls

• Lights at 18 hrs on 6 hrs off Vegetative state
• Lights 12 hrs on 12 hrs off flowering state
• Constant Fox Farm 5,5,5 fertilizer water
• Constant temperature (70º F)
• Constant humidity (45)

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Procedure Details

• Birth/ death day for age
• Pictures for Observation
• Rotation of plants
• Water as needed

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Observations

• Plants are nearly 4 months old
• All the controls are still thriving
• All zinc nitrate Iron nitrate plants are dead

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Observations Zinc Nitrate

• The Zinc Nitrates leaves wilted (image below)

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Observations Iron Nitrate

• The Iron nitrates leaves fell off at their node
• The node is where the main stem meets the leaf
  stem
• Some had chemical burns (see below)

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Additional Experimentation

• Reduce concentrations
• Test various plants

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Bibliography

• http//www.usda.gov/nass/
• http//ezinearticles.com/?Indoor-Grow-Lights-and-L
  ight-Spectrums-For-Plant-Growthid2416747
• http//www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-a
  nd-hydroponics-gardening.com September 2008
• Fralin Biotechnology Center. PREP Experiment
  Guide. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
  University. Dec. 1, 2008 http//www.prepbiotech.v
  t.edu/

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Mrs.Donley Bestest Mentor
EVER )