Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on Pyrene and Anthracene Accumulation by Eggplant

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Abstract

Municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) has been reported to improve soil fertility, plant development, yield and quality. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) is produced during the composting process which may cause cancer if introduced in human diet. An experiment was conducted at the experimental field of the Agronomy Faculty, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran, in 2008, to determine the effect of MSWC on the absorption of Pyrene and Anthracene by eggplant. The experiment was established using four levels of municipal solid waste compost (50, 100, 150 and 200 t. ha-1) and a bare soil as control in a RCB design. The results revealed that 1 kg of municipal solid waste compost included 1.616 and 0.255 mg. kg-1 Pyrene and Anthracene respectively but none of these compounds were detected in eggplant fruits.

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