Assessment of the effect of landfill leachate irrigation of different doses on selected plants

Landfilling is one of the most common methods of waste management (WM). Landfilling of municipal solid waste (MSW) can pose a risk to the environment. During the disposal of waste, many physical, chemical and biological reactions occur in the landfill body, and pollutants (e.g. heavy metals) are generated that pose contamination of water present. Those contaminated waters are called leachate. Leachate water is drained into a leakage drainage pond which is isolated from the surrounding environment by a HDPE foil. However, there is a risk of contamination of the surrounding environment and therefore the quality of leachate water must be monitored. This study focuses on the assessment of leachate effects on plant material (Cannabis sativa L. and Sinapis alba L.). The phytotoxic effect of landfill leachate was provided according to the modified semichronic test to Cannabis sativa L. and Sinapis alba L. The methodology consists of establishing a phytotoxicity test using vital Cannabis sativa L. and Sinapis alba L. seeds and leachate samples in laboratory conditions. Seeds of hemp and mustard are cultivated in Petri dishes on a leachate solution of varying concentrations. From the comparison of the results (root lengths) and the reference samples, the inhibition or stimulation of leachate on plant growth is calculated. The conducted tests clearly show that the susceptibility of Sinapis alba L. to noxious agents is higher than in the other surveyed plant. Inhibition in mustard seeds at concentrations 50%, 75% and 100% was high. At the concentration of 20%, mustard exhibited a certain resistance and did not respond to harmful substances so sensitively as at the other concentrations. Both in mustard and in cannabis, the growth of roots was in some cases stimulated at the concentration of 20%.