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Research question: “To what extent does the concentration of lead in polluted soils affect
Subject: Biology
Zaghal, for his guidance and assistance throughout the making of this essay.
I would also like to thank Mrs Nibal Hamdan for her constant help throughout this experience.
Finally, I would like to take this chance to express my deep gratitude to my family, for their
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
3. Investigating the effect of different lead concentrations on the mitotic index of Allium
sativum: ........................................................................................................................................... 5
8. Conclusion: ........................................................................................................................... 14
9. Bibliography: ........................................................................................................................ 17
1. Introduction
Pollution is a widely spread issue that negatively impacts the environment on a global scale.
Pollution affects the water we drink and the food we eat. Lebanon is one of the countries
suffering from this global issue, both its water and soils are polluted (Masri, 1995). Sources of
pollution such as sewage, industry effluence, solid wastes, and agricultural remains containing
heavy metals are released in most rivers, lakes, and seas which in turn are used for watering
plants (Masri, 1995). The waters in Lebanon are polluted to the extent that one can see dead fish
floating on their surfaces. According to an article written by Nadine Mazloum, 36% of the water
in the Litani River is now turned into a “brownish muck”, making it not suitable for irrigation
and swimming (Mazloum, 2016). Furthermore, the metallic ions present in the above-mentioned
pollutants can pass into the soil, resulting in its contamination. The clay-rich nature of the soil in
Lebanon aggravates this problem by absorbing most of these heavy metals (Lebanon State of the
Environment Report, n.d). One of the main heavy ions found in high concentrations in the soil is
lead (Wuana & Okieimen, 2011). Lead has affected not only crops but also human health. Lead
in soils can enter the human body through vegetables or fruits grown in the lead-polluted soil.
Once lead enters the body, it can proceed to act as a carcinogen, and it can affect bone and
muscle growth (“Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home”, 2013). After further exploring
this issue and its adverse effects on agriculture, I have decided to investigate how the
contamination of soils by heavy metallic ions, lead in this case, affects crop production.
In this investigation, the crop that will be used is Allium sativum. Allium sativum is widely
needed for its medicinal uses. It is known to regulate blood pressure, decrease cholesterol level,
prevent diseases and tumors, cure earaches, and stomach aches (“GARLIC: Uses, Side Effects,
Interactions and Warnings.”, n.d). It also decreases the glucose level in the blood, which makes it
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a possible antidiabetic agent (Sher, Fakhar-ul-Mahmood, Shah, Bukhsh, & Murtaza, 2012).
Moreover, the presence of germanium in Allium sativum enhances the immune system
(Germanium, 2017). On another note, the distinguished taste of Allium sativum makes it a
commonly used ingredient for several dishes such as garlic bread, spinach fatayer, and several
types of pasta. Given all these benefits and uses of Allium sativum, a decrease in its production as
a result of soil pollution may not allow the human population to make use of its many medicinal
benefits along with its distinct taste. For that reason, in this investigation, the effect of increasing
The growth of garlic root tips will be measured using the mitotic index, which in turn, would
give an idea about how the production of Allium sativum is affected. The mitotic index is an
indirect way to calculate cell proliferation (through a micrograph). In other words, it measures
the ratio of the number of cells undergoing mitosis to the number of cells not undergoing mitosis
(Cornell, n.d). Prior understanding of mitosis and its sub-phases will be intensively needed to
discuss, analyze and interpret the micrograph readings, allowing the deduction of the mitotic
The results of this investigation are environmentally worthy given that they shed light on the
issue of pollution and how it is affecting the production of a medically and domestically
important crop such as Allium sativum This investigation with the hope that this will raise the
awareness of people and urge them to take action and put an end to this alarming issue.
High concentrations of lead in soils can have drastic effects on crops and can also affect
occurring element in soil. Unpolluted soil naturally contains low concentrations of lead that
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range from 10 to 50 mg/L (“Lead in Residential Soils: Sources, Testing, and Reducing
Exposure”, 2017). Polluted soils contain concentrations of lead that range from 50 to 1,500 mg/L
(“Lead in Residential Soils: Sources, Testing, and Reducing Exposure”, 2017). Research shows
that high levels of lead concentrations can kill the decomposers present in the soil (Greene, n.d);
hence, preventing the recycling of nutrients that are essential for plant growth. Moreover,
different concentrations of lead cause a bias in the organisms present in the soil, affecting the
type of plants that can grow in this area. Other than the fact that lead-contaminated soil can affect
crop production and quality, it has been identified as an important contributor to high blood lead
levels (Madhavan, Rosenman, & Shehata, 1989) and therefore, a risk factor of different diseases
such as cancer.
Given that lead is naturally occurring in soils in concentrations between 10 to 50 mg/L and
polluted soils contain up to 1,500 mg/L, the concentrations of lead solutions to be used in this
and 1500mg/L. A lead solution of concentration 20mg/L will be used as a control that represents
Several ways can be used to measure the effect of different lead concentrations on the
production of garlic, including measuring root growth at different concentrations and measuring
the mitotic index. I chose to complete my investigation by measuring the mitotic index since it is
more accurate and more indicative about the growth rate because it can show at which phase the
growth was inhibited, allowing more detailed and accurate analysis. A thorough understanding of
the process and phases of cell division is a prerequisite to measuring the mitotic index.
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Cell division has three steps: Interphase, mitosis (the division of the nucleus), and
cytokinesis (the division of the cytoplasm). Each of these steps has their subphases.
Interphase:
- Gap 1: the cell starts getting larger, and the organelles duplicate.
- Gap 2 phase: the cell continues to grow larger, and the organelles continue to duplicate.
Mitosis:
- Prophase: chromosomes condense and super coil, the nuclear membrane disappears, the
centrioles start moving to opposite sides of the cell, and spindle fibers start to form.
- Metaphase: The centrosomes are at opposite poles of the cell, spindle fibers attach to the
- Anaphase: the spindle fibers contract, causing the two sister chromatids to separate and
- Telophase: The sister chromatids are at opposite poles of the cell, the nuclear membrane
starts forming, spindle fibers start to disappear, and the chromosomes start to uncoil.
Cytokinesis is the division of the cytoplasm of the cell. Plant cells separate by forming a cell
plate that extends and fuses with the cell wall, splitting the cell into two daughter cells. On the
other hand, in animal cells, a cleavage furrow is formed. The cleavage furrow deepens until it
meets, and the cell becomes pinched off, and it separates to form two daughter cells.
Measuring the mitotic index necessitates the identification of the phase of the cell followed by
further calculations using a formula. To identify the cell phase, a photograph of the cells can be
4
- A cell with unorganized chromosomes with no nucleus is in prophase.
- A cell with chromosomes that are clearly aligned at the equatorial plate is in metaphase.
Allium sativum:
4.1 Variables:
In an attempt to respond to the research question, the mitotic index of Allium sativum was
measured under different concentrations of lead ions. Therefore, the concentration of lead
solutions (20mg/L, 220mg/L, 420mg/L, 1000mg/L, and 1500mg/L) in which the garlic cloves
were grown represents the independent variable of this study. The mitotic index of the Allium
sativum root tips represents the dependent variable. The mitotic index will be able to give an idea
about the growth of the Allium sativum in increasing concentrations of lead solution which in
turn, would provide an idea about the effect of different lead concentrations on the crop
production of Allium sativum. All the cups containing the garlic cloves were kept outdoors to
mimic the environment's conditions. The garlic used in this experiment was purchased from the
same place. The garlic cloves put in the cups were all of approximately the same size and shape.
Furthermore, the same type, size, color, and shape of cups were used. The cups containing the
garlic cloves were kept in the same temperature, pressure, light, and humidity conditions.
Moreover, all the prepared lead solutions were of the same volume. Before the experiment, all
the garlic cloves were given three days to grow root tips in the volume and type of water.
5
4.2 Experimental predictions and hypothesis:
As the concentration of the lead solution that the garlic cloves are being grown in increases
the mitotic index will decrease. A low mitotic index indicates less growth of garlic, which in
Null hypothesis (H0): The mitotic index will remain the same in all the root tips that were
Alternative hypothesis (H1): The mitotic index will be different in the root tips that were
In this step, three solutions of lead were prepared. To prepare the first concentration,
20mg/L, 0.02g of lead was measured. Then, the measured mass was transferred into a 250ml
volumetric flask with the help of a funnel. Then, 50ml of water was added. The mixture was
homogenized using a magnetic stirrer.. Finally, the solution was diluted with water until the line
mark. This step was repeated five times to obtain four different concentrations of lead. The
For this step, the garlic cloves were allowed to grow roots. That was done by getting 20
garlic cloves and inserting a toothpick in the center of each garlic clove. The toothpicks were
used to hold the garlic cloves above the water. The toothpicks holding the garlic cloves are then
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adjusted in different cups containing 100ml of water. After three days, when the garlic cloves
would have already grown roots, they were transferred into different cups containing 100ml of
each concentration of the three metallic solutions. A timer was used to follow the evolution of
the mitotic index in each solution as a function of time. Three days after the immersion of the
cloves in each solution, 5×1cm long root tips were cut by scissors to be used for the preparation
of the microscopic slides. The materials that will be used throughout this preparation are:
Garlic cloves.
Tap water.
For this step, slides were prepared and viewed under the microscopes. Each of the cut root
tips was put on a different watch glass. 4 drops of 1M HCl were added to the root tips on the
watch glasses using a dropper and left for 2 minutes. Using another dropper, three drops of the
Orcein pink stain were also added to the root tips. Later, the mixture of root tips, HCl, and
Orcein pink stains was gently heated on a hot plate for five minutes. After heating it, most of the
liquid had evaporated, and the stain had penetrated the root tip. The root tips were then
transferred to a clean microscopic slide using tweezers. One drop on the orcein stain is then
added to the root tips on the microscopic slide. The microscopic slide is then covered with a
clean coverslip. Then, a paper towel was placed on the coverslip and using the side of your hand;
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the root tip was squashed. That way, any excess stain is dried off, and more importantly, the root
tip is squashed. This will allow the microscope to show a clearer picture of the cell. Finally, the
slide was observed under a 45X microscope. This step is repeated for each of the trials of each
concentration of lead. The materials used for this part of the procedure are:
Cover slips.
5. Experimental findings:
Table 1 shows the total number of cells undergoing mitosis and the total number of cells in
Concentration
of Pb+ ions 20mg/L 220mg/L 420mg/L 1000mg/L
(mg/L)
Number Number Number Number
Total Total Total Total
of cells of cells of cells of cells
number number number number
in in in in
of cells of cells of cells of cells
mitosis mitosis mitosis mitosis
Trial 1 18 28 9 22 10 29 1 27
Trial 2 14 23 12 25 9 23 0 20
Trial 3 11 22 9 20 8 25 0 23
Trial 4 12 23 13 28 7 22 1 25
Trial 5 14 25 11 24 6 20 0 22
8
6. Experimental calculation
Table 2 shows the mitotic index of garlic root tips in each different lead concentration in 4
different trials along with the average mitotic index and standard deviation of each concentration.
Concentration of 1,000mg/L
20mg/L 220mg/L 420mg/L
lead solutions
Trial 1 0.64 0.40 0.34 0.04
Average mitotic
index 0.57 0.45 0.33 0.016
Standard
deviation 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.02
18
= 0.64
28
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 1𝑀𝐼 + 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 2𝑀𝐼 + 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 3𝑀𝐼 + 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 4𝑀𝐼 + 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 5𝑀𝐼
=
5
9
0.64 + 0.61 + 0.50 + 0.52 + 0.56
= 0.57
5.0
(− 0.07)2 = 0.005
Step 3: Add all the squared values obtained in step 2 and divide them by N-1
0.004 = 0.06
A one-way ANOVA statistical test is used in this investigation to find out whether there are any
statistical differences between 4 different groups of concentrations of lead solutions to find out
whether the mitotic index will be different in the root tips that were exposed to different
concentrations of lead. The choice of a one-way ANOVA test was made in order to know
whether to reject or accept the hypothesis. An ANOVA test was used instead of a t-test due to
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Anova: single factor.
SUMMARY
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
1.22E-
Between Groups 0.840895 3 0.280298 185.628 12 3.238872
Within Groups 0.02416 16 0.00151
Total 0.865055 19
The results of the ANOVA statistical analysis that was carried out showed that there is a
significant difference between the groups. The results of the statistical analysis gave a p-value of
1.22×10-12, which is less than 0.05, leading me to reject my null hypothesis and accept my
alternative hypothesis that states that the mitotic index will be different in the root tips that were
observations and calculations. While viewing the slides under the microscope, there was a clear
decrease in the number of cells undergoing mitosis as the concentration of lead increased.
Moreover, calculations of the mitotic index for each root tip grown in different concentrations of
lead ions proved the hypothesis such that the value of the mitotic index of root tips grown in high
concentrations of lead was very low in comparison to the mitotic index of root tips grown in low
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concentrations of lead. At the highest concentration, 1000mg/L, mitosis was almost completely
inhibited and the roots had a mitotic index of 0.016, thus, it is suitable to say that lead inhibited
mitosis in garlic and therefore can decrease its crop yield if found in large amounts in the soil.
The results of the trials of each concentration were similar with standard deviations that
varied from 0.02 to 0.061 which increases the reliability of this experiment. The results of this
experiment proves that the increasing lead concentrations in the soil will, most definitely, affect
the yield of the crop production of Allium sativum. This gives us an idea about how the high lead
concentrations in the soil can decrease crop production, especially of crops belonging to the
Allium family, such as onion, shallots and scallions given that they are in the same family as
Although my results showed that increasing concentrations of lead drastically affect the
mitotic index, this can only be applied to real life to a certain extent since it is not possible to
reach maximum accuracy. Factors present in the natural environment that was not present in this
investigation could affect the plant’s absorption of lead. For example, a mineral present in the
soil can inhibit the uptake of lead by plants. Furthermore, the pH of the soils varies, which in
turn can affect the uptake of lead by plants. This is because lead is insoluble at a pH greater than
At normal concentrations, since lead is naturally occurring in soils, plants came up with
mechanisms that allow it to avoid the effects of lead. The roots are the first organs that the lead
ions come in contact with. As the first line of defense, the cell walls of the root cells create a
barrier by synthesizing and depositing callose which in turn inhibits the entry of lead ions into
the cells (Fahr et al., 2013). However, plants can’t avoid the effects of lead at high concentrations
since callose is synthesized mainly in the protoderm and in the centre of the root tip and is not
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deposited regularly in all root cells and tissue (Samardakiewicz, Krzesłowska, Bilski,
Bartosiewicz, & Woźny, 2011). Thus, it would not inhibit the entry of all the lead ions in the
case of a high lead concentration in the soil. Other mechanisms that plants can use to prevent the
effects of lead are to absorb large amounts of lead and isolate them in the vacuoles or translocate
a large amount of lead in root cells to the upper part of the plant (Fahr et al., 2013).
article done by Wusheng Jiang and Donghua Liu in 2010 on the defense system in the root cells
of Allium sativum against lead supports the results of my experiment as it shows that after
several hours of lead treatment, many changes occurred in the cell. Some of these changes
included: the ER and the mitochondria became swollen along with the loss of cristae, the nuclear
envelope of some cells became relatively diluted, cisternae broke down to form vesicles, and the
plasma membrane became injured (Jiang & Lui, 2010). All of these changes lead to the decrease
in mitosis since organelles need to be duplicated in the interphase before allowing the cell to
move into mitosis. Because these cells’ organelles are damaged and swollen, the process of
organelle duplication in interphase will not be complete, inhibiting the cell from moving into
Moreover, other research papers that support my experiment state that exposure of cells to a
high concentration of lead affects the process of cell division since lead treatment can cause an
extended cell cycle along with a decrease in the number of cells synthesizing DNA (Wierzbicka,
1998). Other articles state that exposure of crops to lead can also lead to c-mitosis (an unnatural
unsuccessful nuclear division in which the chromosome number is doubled), anaphase bridges
(an event that occurs in which sister chromatids fail to separate), and chromosome stickiness
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(Liu, Jiang, Wang, Zhao, & Lu, 1992). On another note, lead can also inhibit root growth
8. Conclusion:
The results of this experiment showed the effect of high lead concentrations on the crop
production of Allium sativum. This can be seen as a real threat that needs to be stopped. To stop
the contamination of soils by lead, people must avoid the main sources that lead to lead
contamination, such as lead-based paint (“Lead in Residential Soils: Sources, Testing, and
Reducing Exposure”, 2017). Lead-based paint may mix with the soil when chips of paint fall
from buildings or when lead-based paint is present in the industry affluence of that is disposed of
in water that enters the soils. According to an investigation published by the Lebanese Company
for Information & Studies in the year 2015 on lead paint in Lebanon, the total average of lead in
paints reaches 537 ppm (“The Lead in paints... disturbing facts ... and immediate actions are
required.”, 2015). This value is much higher than the maximum acceptable average of lead in
paints which is approved in Canada, the United States, and Nepal to be 90 ppm (“The Lead in
paints... disturbing facts ... and immediate actions are required.”, 2015). These numbers that state
the concentrations of lead in paints give an idea about how much the environment, along with the
soils, are affected by these paints. Furthermore, according to an article done by PennState
University in 2017 on lead in residential soils, another source of lead in soils is gasoline which
contained lead compounds and was used up until 1989 (“Lead in Residential Soils: Sources,
Testing, and Reducing Exposure.”, 2017). Even though leaded gasoline is not widely used
anymore, almost 4.5 to 5 million tons of the lead that was present in gasoline remains in the soil
("Lead in Residential Soils", 2017). As for Lebanon in particular, the use of leaded gasoline is
14
not yet banned, and thus, this type of gasoline still poses a threat to the environment and to the
human health.
Not only does the lead present in soils negatively affect plants, but they also harm the human
health. Lead in soils can enter the human body as a result of people eating fruits or vegetables
that were originally grown in lead-contaminated soils. Children are more sensitive to lead than
grown-ups given that their bodies are still developing. Children are exposed to lead entering their
body far more than adults are. This is because they often put their hands on the soil then put it in
their mouths. In children, lead exposure can have several impacts on the body including poor
muscle coordination, decreased muscle and bone growth, hearing damages and learning
disabilities (“Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home”, 2013). Although adults are less
exposed to lead, once it's in their system, it can lead to muscle and joints pain, fertility problems,
concentration problems, high blood pressures and nerve disorders (“Protect Your Family from
Lead in Your Home”, 2013). As for pregnant women, having lead in their bodies would put the
fetus' at risk since the lead is in her bloodstream which passes through the placenta and into the
Taking into consideration the drastic effects of lead-contaminated soils on plants, it can be
concluded that coming up with ways to decrease the uptake of lead by plants is necessary and
adding organic matter to the soil decreased the lead uptake by plants. Organic matter decreases
the availability of lead to the plant (Rosen, n.d). The same article also states that increasing the
pH beyond 6.5 also decreases the lead uptake by plants since lead is unavailable to plants beyond
this pH (Rosen, n.d). To avoid the drastic effects of lead on children's health, it is recommended
to test the concentration of lead present in the soil around the house before allowing children to
15
play outside. If that is not possible, one can be extra cautious and take this issue seriously in a
In this investigation, the effect of only four concentrations of lead were tested on Allium
sativum root tips. To get a more specific result, a higher number of concentrations with a smaller
range between them can be used. Furthermore, to provide more proof of the effect of lead-
contaminated soil on the crop production, it can be tested on more than one vegetable. Moreover,
soils are contaminated with many ions other than lead; it is also important to test the effect of
16
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Image:
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e1417513331763-810x609.jpg
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