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Effect of leached cement paste samples with different superplasticiser content on germination and initial root growth of white mustard (Sinapis alba) and cress (Lepidium sativum)

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Abstract

With an annual production of about 10 Gt concrete is by far the most used solid man-made material. In order to adjust the workability of fresh concrete most often so-called superplasticisers, essentially water-soluble organic polymers, are utilised. As concrete is commonly in direct contact with soil or water, the leaching of organic and inorganic compounds and their environmental impact need to be assessed. The present study contributes to this purpose by investigating leachates from hardened cement pastes gained using the horizontal dynamic surface leaching test. Pastes were prepared with and without superplasticiser. The root growths as well as the germination behaviour of cress (Lepidium sativum) and white mustard (Sinapis alba) were examined with respect to phytotoxicity. Different proportions (100, 50, 25 and 12.5%) of the leachates were considered in the test scheme. The results indicate a positive effect of most of the leachates on seed germination and root growth, although statistical significance was only found in some cases. Both test species showed no or only slight harmful effects as relative root growth exceeded always 66% for S. alba and 74% for L. sativum. Seed germination was not negatively influenced by the leachates. Slight beneficial effects on both test species could be observed for leachates containing superplasticiser compared to samples in absence of superplasticiser.

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Notes

  1. an ion accompanying the PCE in order to maintain its electric neutrality. When adding the PCE to the mixing water, its active component adsorbs on the cement particle and the counter ion dissociates in the water (Plank et al. 2015).

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (DIN) and Umweltbundesamt (UBA). The authors wish to acknowledge Mahboobeh Behmaneshfard, Jimmy Köpke and Lino Neubert for technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Building Materials and Construction Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355, Berlin, Germany

    Veronika Märkl & Dietmar A. Stephan

  2. Department of Ecotoxicology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 1, 10587, Berlin, Germany

    Stephan Pflugmacher

  3. Korean Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe), Campus E.7.1., 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Stephan Pflugmacher

Authors
  1. Veronika Märkl
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  2. Stephan Pflugmacher
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Correspondence to Stephan Pflugmacher or Dietmar A. Stephan.

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Fig. 3
figure 3

Ca2+ concentration at the end of each elution step. Note the two breaks of the x-axis

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Märkl, V., Pflugmacher, S. & Stephan, D.A. Effect of leached cement paste samples with different superplasticiser content on germination and initial root growth of white mustard (Sinapis alba) and cress (Lepidium sativum). Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 111 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3271-2

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