Title

The impact of concrete dust particles on the rate of cell division on plant saplings

Background

In the recent years, a new house is being constructed behind my house. Before that it was a dusty
warehouse which was demolished in order to make space to build the new home. I have noticed
that during the whole process, the garden at the side of my house has been becoming more and
more desolate. The number of plant life has dwindled and I suspect that it is due to the large mass
of dust particles creating a layer above the plant's leaves. As a result, less sunlight can be
absorbed and the stomata may be clogged - preventing gas from easily entering and exiting the
plant's leaves. Due to the lesser amount of gas entering the plant for photosynthesis, I believe the
plant's stunted growth - a slower rate of cell division - is a result of the lack of nutrients.

Aim

The aim of my study is to raise awareness on the effects of allowing polluted air to affect plant life,
and help pave the way for further studies on how dust particles—which are very common in
polluted, and less developed countries—will affect plant life.

Research Question

What are the effects of dust deposition on the rate of cell division in plants?

Prediction

The amount of dust deposition directly affects the rate of cell division in plants, with higher dust
deposition meaning slower rate of cell division in plants and vice versa.

Method
Equipment

1. 12 plant saplings
2. 12 transparent casings
3. 12 1.5 PET jars with 165mm high, 120mm in diameter and 90mm internal neck diameter
4. Calculator
5. Weighing Scale in milligrams
6. Stands

How to get concrete dust particles

1. Set-up 4 1.5 litre PET jars of 165mm high x 120mm diameter and 90mm internal neck diameter
in various locations of the garden.
2. Wait over a span of 7 weeks to allow the jar to collect dust

How to get Dust Deposition rate using Bergerhoff Gauge with the (1.5 litre PET jar)

1. Get the mass of dust collected in the PET jars using milligrams.
2. Divide the amount of dust by 0.00636m^2 (area of 90mm internal neck diameter of the 1.5 litre
PET jars.)
3. Divide the amount of dust divided by the area of the internal neck diameter of the PET jar by 7 (
the number of days the jar was collecting dust)
4. Using this formula Mass of Dust/m^2/day
5. So you should get the Dust deposition
6. Do this for all 4 PET jars
7. Get the average dust deposition in the garden.

Growth

1. Set up 4 plant saplings encased in a transparent casing each with a 1.5 litre PET jar
2. Each day apply varying amounts of dust (0mg/m^2/day, 1mg/m^2/day, 3mg/m^2/day, 9mg/m^2/
day)to each plant set up (there will be 5), the last one will have the average dust deposition of
the garden applied.
3. After a week use the Dust deposition with the 1.5 litre PET jars to check if dust deposition rates
are similar to applied amounts of dust on the plants.
4. After the first 3 days, begin taking samples from the saplings and getting the average number
of cells in each stage of mitosis
5. Continue for 1 more week and look for any signs of delayed plant growth in plants dealing with
higher dust deposition rates.
6. Repeat set-up once to ensure sufficient data

Controlled Variables.

1. All saplings are of the same species, age, and size

2. All saplings are subjected to identical amount of sunlight
3. All saplings are subjected to identical amount of temperature
4. All saplings are subjected to identical dust composure (concrete, plaster dust)
5. All saplings are subjected to the same type of soil and fertilizer
6. All samples viewed under the microscope were taken from the same parts of the plant

The experiment was done over the span of 20 days, and repeated once to ensure that there is a
sufficient amount of time for each sapling to grow and have visible differences in the amounts of
cells undergoing the various stages of cell division. All setups were placed beside each other to
assume that they are subjected to the same amounts of sunlight, weather, and temperature.

The method of data collection for this experiment is to search for possible correlations and ratios
between the various data collected such as the ratio of slower plant mitosis to the amount of dust
deposition it is subjected to over the course of the experiment. This is done by taking samples from
the leaves to be viewed under a microscope where we are able to identify and estimate the
number of cells doing through certain stages of mitosis. Of course, we are also to compare this
data with a sapling that is not subjected to any or is subjected to a minimal amount of dust
deposition to see whether the differences are between areas of high dust deposition and areas of
low dust deposition have any significant to plant life at large.