The study of the physiological characteristics of plants in the conditions of petroleum products disposal under the soil layer

The illegal disposal of petroleum products under the soil layer was simulated in laboratory conditions. The samples of medium loamy urban soil were studied. We study the effect of the tank with waste oil on the physiological state of plants of three families: Legumes (Trifolium pratense L.), Cruciferous (Sinapis alba L.), and Cereals (Avena sativa L.). Wild plants were selected for the experiment. This allows us to assess the effect of the illegal dumping of petroleum products into the natural environment on plants physiological state. We reveal the negative effect of this pollution on phytomass, germination rate and germination energy. Plants showed different adaptive potential to the pollutant effect. The content of photosynthetic pigments in plant leaves was studied. We found that plants’ assimilation apparatus reacts ambiguously to the pollutant. The clover showed high adaptive capacity to soil contamination with petroleum products at concentrations of 10 and 20 g/kg. Mustard better tolerates increased contamination (20 and 40 g/kg). At the beginning of the experiment, oat plants experienced a stimulating effect, expressed in a rapid increase in phytomass, high rates of germination and germination energy. Later this effect was replaced by a sharp wilting, accompanied by the destruction of assimilation pigments (at 10 and 20 g/kg doses of waste oil). However, in the variant with a 40 g/kg dose, the stimulating effect of the pollutant continued: there was an increase in chlorophyll b and carotenoids content compared to the control.