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ABSTRACT
The effect of different fractions of spent lubricating oil pollution on the growth and performance of Zea mays Linn Identata (Doctor) at different fourteen days of germination was investigated in this study. Different fractions of spent lubricating oil which included water soluble, water-insoluble and whole spent lubricating oils were added to a base soil of cotton wool where Zea mays L. were planted and the stem lengths after germination were monitored for fourteen days after germination. The plants expressed different response to the different fractions of the spent lubricating oil. Plants exposed to the water-insoluble fraction of the spent lubricating oil pollution germination had the highest level of growth inhibition. The stem length of the white corn exposed to the water insoluble fraction (WISF) was statistically significant (P<0.05) while that of the water-soluble fraction (4.04 ± 1.47) and whole spent soluble fraction did not show significant difference (P>0.05) when compared to the white corn control which corresponds to day 14 where the stem length of the white corn exposed to the water insoluble fraction (WISF) was also statistically significant (P<0.05) as compared to the white corn control while that of the water-soluble fraction (7.98 ± 1.83) and whole spent soluble fraction (10.4 ± 0.46) were as well not statistically significant (P>0.05) for the white corn. The stem length of the yellow corn exposed to the water insoluble fraction (WISF) at day 7 and whole spent soluble fraction were statistically significant (P<0.01) and (P<0.05) respectively as compared to the control while that of the water soluble fraction was not significant compared (P>0.05) whereas results on day 14 showed that the stem length of the yellow corn exposed to the water insoluble fraction (WISF) and that of the water-soluble fraction were statistically significant (P<0.01) and (P<0.05) respectively as compared to the yellow corn control while whole spent soluble fraction was not statistically significant compared to the yellow corn control at (P>0.05). The stem length difference between day 7 and day 14 of the white corn exposed to the water insoluble fraction (WISF) is statistically significant (P<0.05) as well as that of the WISF of yellow corn. Other fractions showed no significant difference(P>0.05). This study showed that the different fractions of spent oil such as the water insoluble fraction (WISF), water soluble fraction (WSF) and the whole spent oil (WSLO) have negative effect on the growth of grains as evident on the experiments carried out on Zea mays L. indentata. It was made obvious that spent oil negatively affects the growth of plants and consequently reduce the yield as well as the nutraceuticals present in the corn.
