Rhizotron and field test of a root biobarrier technique: Methods and first year results

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6784047

Murphy, Jr, C E; Adriano, D C; Corey, J C; Kaplan, D I; Harrelson, J L; Decker, O D; Griggs, R D

Vegetation is commonly used to stabilize the ground covering buried waste sites. However, constituents of buried waste can be brought to the surface if the waste is penetrated by plant roots. An ideal waste burial system would allow the use of vegetation to stabilize the soil above the buried waste but would exclude roots from the waste. One system which shows promise of accomplishing this objective is a root biobarrier. The biobarrier consists of a slow release encapsulation of a root growth inhibitor (Trifluralin). The capsules are bounded on a geofabric sheet. Tests were conducted in a rhizotron and in the glass walled trenches in the field to observe the effect of the root biobarrier on the growth of a variety of plant species. The preliminary results indicate that roots of soybean (Glycine max (L). Merr.) and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon (L). Pers.) do not grow within one inch of the barrier. Analysis of the level of root inhibitor in the soil confirms that the concentration of inhibitor near the biobarrier is high enough to stop root growth. If further tests continue to show that the biobarrier can exclude roots for extended periods of time it appears the biobarrier should be considered for inclusion in buried waste systems. 6 refs., 15 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6784047
• Report Number(s): DP-1767; ON: DE89000635
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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