Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Germination and Initial Growth of Selected Lawn Grass Species in Soil Polluted with PAHs

Grasses are often used to recultivate areas contaminated during shale gas extraction. This is due to the fact that they adapt very well to unfavorable soil conditions such as: high pH, salinity, water deficit or the presence of harmful substances. Additionally, the grass root system releases enzymes into the soil that increase the activity of micro - organisms and bacteria that decompose polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are the main component of drilling waste. In turn, assessment of initial growth and development (germination tests) is a cheap and quick method to assess the sensitivity of the tested plants to pollutants. Young plants are more susceptible to harmful substances. The study aimed to determine the effect of drilling waste, containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the initial growth and development of selected grass species, with a specific focus on germination en - ergy and capacity, as young plants are more sensitive to harmful substances compared to older plants. Among the tested species, Lolium perenne and Festuca rubra showed the highest energy and germination ability, while Poa pratensis showed the lowest. The experiment showed that of the tested grass species, Lolium perenne and Festuca rubra were the least sensitive to the effects of PAHs, with the smallest reductions in root length and seedling height observed in these species. Additionally, the highest concentration of PAHs was found in soil seeded with Lolium perenne , while the lowest was found in soil seeded with Poa pratensis .