Archives of Environmental Protection

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the time-delayed (after three years from the moment of soil pollution)effectofpetroleum-derivedproducts(PDPs)(petrol,dieselfuelandusedengineoil)ontheinteraction between selected host plant (broad bean) and a herbivorous insect closely related to it (Sitona spp.). We assessed the condition of the plant exposed to pollutants (i.e. its growth and chemical composition), then we evaluated theattractivenessoftheplantforbothlarvaeandadultsoftheinsect.Theevaluationcoveredalsotheeffectof bioremediation by using ZB-01 biopreparation. The results showed that after 3 years from soil contamination, engine oil and diesel fuel limited the feeding of adult sitona weevils while petrol caused increase in the attractiveness of plantsfortheseinsects.ThePDPsnegativelyaffectedthegrowthofplants.Thechangesinelementcontentdepended onthetypeofpollutant.ThebiopreparationZB-01eliminatedorreducedthedifferencescausedbythepresenceof PDPs in the soil regarding the chemical composition of the host plant, and limited feeding by both the larvae and adult individuals of sitona weevils. The negative relationships between the contents of both some macroelements (Mg, S) and heavy metals (Zn, Ni), and feeding of imago of Sitona were observed. The obtained results indicate that PDPsremainforalongtimeintheenvironmentandadverselyaffectnotonlytheorganismsdirectlyexposedtothe pollution -plants growing on polluted soil but also further links of the trophic chain, i.e. herbivores.