| Description |
A proprietary process that recycles contaminated oil filters from diesel engines is currently being developed by Oasis Industries. The treated oily paper material is being combined with peat humus and chicken manure, which is rich in nitrogen content, to make a potentially marketable compost material for plants. The objective of the current project is to study the effect of the oil-contaminated paper on tomato and com plant growth. The filter amended compost was compared against peat humus amended with commercial compost to determine if there is any apparent advantage or disadvantage of the filter material. In addition, the effect of the plants and environmental conditions on the concentration of oil remaining in the soil after the completion of the study was determined. The oil contained in the filter paper was extracted by Soxhlet extraction and then; analyzed by gas chromatography for hydrocarbon content. Oily, filter material was mixed in volumetric concentrations of 5, 10, 20, and 30% with 5% chicken manure, and peat humus. Commercial compost was mixed in the same volumetric concentrations with peat humus. Three controls consisting of 100% potting soil, a peat mixture (95% peat humus and 5% chicken manure), and 100% commercial compost were used in this study. Com and tomato seeds were first germinated and then planted in pots containing the soil mixtures. The plants were grown in a greenhouse supplemented with sodium lights. Plant appearance and color were monitored daily. Plant height was measured periodically. At the conclusion of the study, the plant shoots were separated from the roots and dry and wet weights were recorded. The final hydrocarbon concentration of the soil was determined by Soxhlet extraction. No benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, or xylene was measured in the oil extracted from the filter material. The oil primarily contains hydrocarbons that are greater than C24. Both com and tomato plants grew best in the uncontaminated peat mixture. Plant growth in this mixture was superior to the potting soil and 100% commercial compost controls. The presence of oil (greater than 5% filter content) decreased the height and biomass of the plant, but growth was observed in all filter concentrations studied. Plant behavior shows little difference between soils amended with compost or filter at the same concentration. After 8 weeks of growth, all tomato plants grown in 30% fiber contaminated soil showed stem thinning of the leaves at the base, resulting in drooping leaves. The oil concentration of the soils decreased during the course of the study; however, in the higher concentrations (greater than 5%), the decrease was not sufficient; to allow growth similar to the peat mixture. |
