THE EFFECTS OF
DISHWASHING LIQUID AND
BLEACH ON MONGGO
PLANTS
Ulita, Rizza Patrice R.
Elona, Praxniña Antonette DG.
Tocmo, Verushka Lara R.
Quiñones, Reizle Vanessa A.
Mr.John Mark L. Doria
Abstract:
People dump their used household chemicals down the drainage.
Chances are that the household chemicals thrown into the drainage may
escape into the ecosystem. In this experiment, the researchers will attempt to
discover and observe the effects of household chemicals like dishwashing liquid
and bleach on monggo plants. They hypothesize that if the household
chemicals contains hazardous contents and is poured to the household plants,
then it will negatively affect the plant’s growth and development, and result in
having a smaller size. The researchers are growing new plants in 15 cups. The
experiment displayed interesting results. The experimental set ups grow slower
than the controlled set up.
Chapter 1:
Introduction
Poisoning of plants is a persistent problem in the ecosystem today.
In cleaning the houses, people use chemical products. But after using it, where
do they dump them? The researchers know that some of them dump those
household chemicals in the drainage while there are others who dump it directly
to the ecosystem. Chances are that these chemicals may have negative
effects on household plants.
This experiment is closely related to the study of four students from
Aurora Bilingual School in Honduras. In this experiment, the researchers will
attempt to prove that the household chemicals may have negative effects on
household plants. The experiment aims to prove this to protect the natural
ecosystem starting with the people’s houses.
Statement of the Problem
The problem is “What are the effects of household chemicals on
household plants?”
Formulation of Hypothesis
•
If the household chemicals contains hazardous contents and is
poured to the household plants, then it will negatively affect the plant’s
growth and development, and result in having a smaller size.
Significance of the Study
The importance of this study is to protect the natural ecosystem. It
would also help the people to be aware of what they throw in the
environment, if it would be harmful or fine with the ecosystem. People with
knowledge about this experiment may avoid disposing household
chemicals into the ecosystem. It would also help the officials to make the
ecosystem healthier to live in.
Scope and Limitations
The research was conducted to determine the effects of liquid dish
soap namely the dish washing liquid Joy, and bleach, namely Zonrox
bleach, on the monggo plants. The researchers are to measure the height
of the plants. The locale of the study is in one of the researcher's house in
Parang, Marikina. Their expense are limited. The plants' maximum height
are seven inches or approximately one-hundred-eighty centimeters. They
recorded only the effects of the chemicals to the plants to ensure the
preservance of the study. They recorded the important observations only
and they avoided the unessential and unrelated statments.
Definition of Terms


Dilute – make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by adding water or
another solvent to it.
Shoddy – badly made or done
Chapter 2 – Review of Related Literature
According to chemistry-online.org, the acid within the household
chemicals affects the photosynthesis and process of the plant. The plants may
die and smell. They will rot from the inside out because the roots absorb the
chemicals and goes through the rest of the plant.
Kay Wagers stated that “bleach can kill plants in your yard. Bleach is
phyotoxic, which means it affects the growth of plants. In small amounts, it can
cause yellowing and curling of leaves. When plants are exposed to greater
amounts of bleach, they will wither and die. Bleach contains compounds called
surfactants, which allow the bleach to deeply penetrate stains. They also help
bleach penetrate organic matter like plant cells and destroy them. Bleach does
not differentiate between unwanted weeds and desired grass; it kills them all.
According to Amy Hall, the soil of the plants will dry up from the chemicals
from the soap. Not only will it dry but the plant will begin to die by the third day.
The chemicals from the soap is not only harmful to the plant but it’s fatal. This
goes for the same for all cleaning products. Roots’ main job are to absorb water
and nutrients. Detergents get rid of the layer protecting the root hairs and the
root hairs absorb the detergent instead. Because the plant no longer has any
water or nutrients, so it died. Then the plant became decomposed because the
detergent is a chemical to the plant. Everybody in the world needs food and
agriculture. Pollution damages plants including food. Detergent is a type of
pollution.
Chapter 3 – Research Methodology
The following are materials they will use: cups, soil, seeds, Joy lemon liquid
dish soap, Zonrox bleach, and water. The experiment will be conducted in a
house of a researcher in Parang, Marikina. They decided that it would be best to
grow the plants from seeds. They will purchase a large quantity of seeds, and
distribute them among 15 cups. 5 of these cups will contain the control group of
plants, which will receive 20 ml of ordinary water. 5 will receive 20 ml of a
solution containing water and dish soap. The remaining 5 cups will receive 20 ml
of a solution containing water and bleach. The plants will be watered three
times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. They will collect
data about the development of the plants each time they water them. For
each of the substances the plants receive they will record the height of the
plant. They continue to water the plants until two weeks for the plants to grow.
After these three weeks they will conclude based on the plants with the
chemicals. They gather the data using a ruler to measure the length of the
longest stem in the plant.
Schematic Diagram
The Effects of Liquid Dish Soap
and Glass Cleaner on Monggo
Plants
Monggo Plant A
Monggo Plant B and Plant C
(will be receiving
water only)
(one will be receiving liquid dish
soap while the other will be
receiving glass cleaner)
Distribute
Distribute
Plant
Plant
Water three times
a week
Water with the
solution three
times a week
Record data
observed
Record data
observed
Chapter 4 – Data and Results
Plants
Set Up A (water)
Set Up B (watered
with Dishwashing
Liquid and water)
Set Up C
(watered with
Bleach and
water)
Week 1
20 cm
Plant did not
grow
Week 2
60 cm
Plant did not
grow
Week 3
100 cm
Plant did not
grow
Plant did not
grow
Plant did not
grow
Plant did not
grow
Based on the observations and measurements, the plant which is watered
with tap water, and is the controlled set up, grew. The experimental set ups; one
watered with dishwashing liquid solution and one watered with bleach solution,
did not grow.
The researchers observed that in the first week, seedlings started to grow
in the controlled set up. Experimental set ups have no improvements at all.
The next week, set up A grew 60 centimeters. Set up B and C still did not
grow.
The week after next, set up A grew into 100 centimeters. Set up B and C
did not grow.
The fourth week, set up A died because of lack of time management,
that there are times that the researcher forgets to water the plants.
Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Recommendation
The experiment went as planned. The dishwashing liquid and
bleach acted like a diluted poison, slowly killing and stunting the growth of
the plants. Therefore, the household chemicals like Zonrox bleach and Joy
dishwashing liquid have negative effects on household plants like
monggo plants.
The researchers recommend to start doing the research as early as
possible. It is to avoid shoddy experiments because of cramming and lack
of time. They also recommend to use different types of plants. They would
also like to recommend to test these chemicals on plants at different
stages in their life cycles. They treated these plants from when the plants
were very young and not strong. They might have come up with different
results if the plants were older and stronger. They would also like to try
some different chemicals that might be more relevant to the industrial
world. Some of these chemicals might include motor oil, antifreeze,
diluted acid or other chemicals used in industrial situation.