PJAS December 2010

The Effect of Detergent

Concentration on Plant
Growth
Erin Annunziato
Ms. Pietrangelo
Reason- Environment
laundry detergent in run-off
fatal to plants
human obstinacy
more eco-friendly run-off
Hypothesis
If there is more than 5% laundry
detergent in the water given to the
plants, then the plants will not
grow.
Types of Peas
Field Peas:
split peas
used in farming
Pisum arvense

Gardening Peas:
popular for home gardeners
sweeter and softer
Pisum sativum
Growing Pea Plants
Environment:
about 12-24 C (55-75 F)
moist soil
sunny or partially-sunny
Key Terms
photosynthesis: energy from the sunlight
water and carbon dioxide -> food and oxygen
detergent: cleans soiled surface (usually refers only to synthetic detergents)
soap- a kind of detergent (different chemical-makeup than synthetic
detergents)
surfactants/surface active agents- consists of molecules that pull away dirt
particles from surface
ANOVA- an analysis of variance
Lab Details
Independent Variable: concentration of detergent in the
waterLevels: 1% detergent, 2% detergent, 3% detergent,
4%detergent, 5% detergent, 6% detergent, and 7%
detergentTrials: 3Control: 0% detergentDependent Variable:
Growth of plants (cm)Constants: type of plant, total amount of
detergent/water added,, watering times and frequency, growing
environment and time
Design Diagram
Levels
detergent
(Control)
0%
1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7%
Results of
Trials
1-3
Average
Materials
Pisum sativum seeds
Tide Laundry Detergent
water
potting soil
8 pots- 11 centimeter circumference; 9.5 centimeter height
graduated cylinder
ruler
7 plastic bottles

Procedure
1. Plant 5 pea seeds 2 centimeters deep per 8 pots, each pot filled 6.3 centimeters with potting soil
2. Water the pots with pure water (0% detergent) every day until stems are at adequate heights to begin experiment
3. Measure test levels 1-7% detergent by mixing water and detergent in 500 mL water plastic bottles:
1%: 5 mL of laundry detergent and 495 mL of water
2%: 10 mL of laundry detergent and 490 mL of water
3%: 15 mL of detergent and 485 mL of water
4%: 20 mL of detergent and 480 mL of water
5%: 25 mL of detergent and 475 mL of water
6%: 30 mL of detergent and 475 mL of water
7%: 35 mL of detergent and 470 mL of water
4. Water plants each pot with the same amount (100 mL) of corresponding concentration level every day.
5. Record the plant height in centimeters every third day.
Nov. 13 Nov. 16 Nov. 19 Nov. 22
0% 12.3 15 16.6 16.9
1% 12.6 14
2% 5.5 5.5
3% 12.8 13
4% 10.6 11.8
5% 10.5 10.75
6% 13 13.6 12.25
7% 9.3 9.2
Average Plant Heights (cm)
Results
Measurement Day
H
e
i
g
h
t
s

(
c
m
)

* These values have been gathered with only two trials, rather than three
Average Growth (cm)
Results
Measurement Day
D
i
f
f
e
r
e
n
c
e

i
n

H
e
i
g
h
t
s

(
c
m
)

start-13 13-16 16-19 19-22
0% 0 2.7 1.6 0.3
1% 0 1.4
2% 0 0
3% 0 0.2
4% 0 1.2
5% 0 0.7
6% 0 0.6 -1.35
7% 0 -0.1
Addressing 6%
height of plant 1 decreased
cells may have shrunk
unlikely measurement error because there is a trend
plant 1 was the tallest
plant 3 increased, then decreased
plant 2 did not change then died
13th 16th 19th 22nd
1 17 16.5 15
2 14 14
3 8 10.5 9.5
ANOVA: Results

Source of Sum of d.f. Mean F
Variation Squares Squares

between 202.8 7 28.97 1.742
error 266.2 16 16.64
total 469.0 23

The probability of this result, assuming the null
hypothesis, is 0.169
The null hypothesis is not rejected:
There was no significant difference of the heights between the different
groups that were treated with different concentrations of detergent
Null hypothesis: There are no differences in the
observed heights between the treatment groups
Conclusions
Hypothesis:
If there is more than 5% laundry detergent in the water given to the
plants, then the plants will not grow.
I cannot support nor refute my hypothesis
1-5% died, while 6% survived
not enough data
control survived
Sources of Error
inadequate sunlight
different starting maturity
small pots
human error
graduated cylinder
Improvements
more mature plants
growing lamps
same plant height
lower laundry detergent concentrations
larger growing space
regulate root depth
Extensions
root depth
soap
different plants
Thank you :)
Ms. Pietrangelo
My mother and my au pair