Long-term effects of aided phytostabilisation of trace elements on microbial biomass and activity, enzyme activities, and composition of microbial community in the Jales contaminated mine spoils (original) (raw)
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The intense mining activity in La Unión-Cartagena (Murcia, SE Spain) has given rise to highly contaminated soils with very unfavourable conditions, most of them without a vegetal cover to protect from erosion. A two-year field phytostabilisation experiment was carried out in a mine spoil soil contaminated with trace elements (pH 6.2; Zn 9686; Pb 10188; Cu 193; Cd 19; As 664 mg kg- 1). Three amendments were applied: olive mill-waste compost (60 t ha-1), pig slurry (60 m3 ha-1) and hydrated lime (2.3 t ha-1); and a native halophytic shrub (Atriplex halimus L.) was planted, leaving subplots without plants. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the phytostabilisation process for soil remediation, plant growth, soil pH, trace elements availability and microbial parameters with potential as indicators of soil health were analised at the end of the experiment. The amendments did not substantially modify metal availability in the soil and both organic amendments stimulated the growth of A....
Environmental Science and Engineering, 2011
In this work, we studied the temporal dynamics of several microbiological properties in a trace element polluted soil under the influence of various amendments and/or a plant cover during a 30 month-period. The experiment was carried out in containers filled with ca. 150 kg of contaminated soil. Seven treatments were established: four organic (leonardite LEO, litter LIT, municipal waste compost MWC and biosolid compost BC) and one inorganic (sugarbeet lime SL), where the grass Agrostis stolonifera L. was sown, and two control treatments (with plant CTRP or without plant CTR). Soil was sampled four times during the experimental period. The microbiological properties studied were: microbial biomass C, microbial biomass C/total organic C, dehydrogenase, aryl-sulphatase, b-glucosidase, acid-phosphatase and protease enzyme activities. Dynamics of microbiological properties differed between treatments being results not only affected by soil pH or trace element concentrations, but also by changes derived from the different treatments in organic matter quality and quantity, as well as nutrient content in soil. While microbial biomass C, dehydrogenase, arylsulphatase and protease activities were highly correlated with soil pH and soluble trace element contents, changes in b-glucosidase activity were mainly influenced by water soluble C concentrations. It was also observed that enzymatic activities generally decreased over time after no more amendment additions occurred. Nonetheless, during the experiment microbial biomass and activities were generally higher in all treatments compared to the untreated control and thus remediation practices had a positive and significant effect on trace element stabilization and microbial activity in the contaminated soil.
Microorganisms, 2021
Even after remediation, mining impacted soils can leave behind a landscape inhospitable to plant growth and containing residual heavy metals. While phytostabilization can be used to restore such sites by limiting heavy metal spread, it is reliant on soil capable of supporting plant growth. Manure-based biochars, coupled with compost, have demonstrated the ability to improve soil growth conditions in mine impacted soils, however there is a paucity of information regarding their influence on resident microbial populations. The objective of this study was to elucidate the impact of these soil amendments on microbial community structure and function in mine impacted soils placed under phytostabilization management with maize. To this aim, a combination of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and enzymatic analyses were performed. Results indicate that microbial biomass is significantly increased upon addition of biochar and compost, with maximal microbial biomass achieved with 5% poultry litt...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Tailings-derived soils formed from waste materials produced during mineral processing often exhibit extremes of pH, low content of organic matter and limited nutrient availability. The success of site revitalization depends mostly on the ability to maintain natural soil functions. We analyzed technogenic sediments from four selected localities in Slovakia defined as environmental burdens: Slovinky (SLS, SLD), Markušovce (MAS, MAD), Lintich (LIS, LID), Horná Ves (HVS, HVD) in the presented research. None of these sites has long been used for its original purpose. In all localities, the concentrations of several risk elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) still significantly exceed the statutory limit values. Besides the content of risk elements, the amounts of organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH value and moisture level in technogenic substrates were determined. We evaluated selected microbiological parameters, including microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial respiration and...
Mining industries are known to generate various dangers and risks that endanger biological communities worldwide. The heavy metal mobilization by extraction from ores and various anthropogenic activities for various functions is held responsible for these elements being discharged into the environment posing a great risk to ecological health and human wellbeing. The extensive mining activities causes yield reduction, erosion and disruption of soil surface and human ill-health. Mine waste management practices as per eco-restoration, phytoremediation or bioremediation methods has indicated amazing results in various mine locales, either coal or other mineral mines. This review aims to study prospects of Reclamation of currently mined land to an acceptable form and planned use. Various aspects of the environmental rebuilding and recovery on dumped mine sites which is important for sustainable development. Efficient planning and environmental management can ensure minimized effects of m...
Soil fertility and plant diversity enhance microbial performance in metal-polluted soils
Science of The Total Environment, 2012
► We examined effects of habitat properties on microbial parameters in polluted soil. ► Nutrient content increased microbial activity. ► Plant species richness increased microbial activity and functional richness. ► Toxic effects of trace metals were ameliorated by nutrient content. ► Bacterial and fungal communities were affected by habitat properties differently.
Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2019
Purpose Mining areas are low-quality habitats for macro-and microorganisms' development, mainly due to the degradation of the soil quality by metal pollution. The present work aimed to analyze the influence of metal contamination and of plant species on the rhizospheric microbial communities of four indigenous metallophytes (Ononis natrix, Haloxylon scoparium, Peganum harmala and Aizoon canariense) growing along a metal contamination gradient in Kettara mine near Marrakech, Morocco. Materials and methods In a pyrrhotite mining areas (Kettara mine, Morocco), rhizosphere soil samples were collected from four predominant indigenous metallophytes (O. natrix, H. scoparium, P. harmala and A. canariense) growing along a metal contamination gradient (ZC-control zone; Z1-high metal-contamination; Z2-moderate metal-contamination; Z3-low metal-contamination). Microbial communities were analyzed by using microbial counts and by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The physicochemical properties (pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, nitrogen, P Olsen and metal concentrations) of soils were also determined. Results and discussion The physicochemical analysis revealed that rhizospheric soils from Z1, Z2 and Z3 were relatively poor in nutrients as they presented low levels of total organic carbon and nitrogen, organic matter and available P. Moreover, these rhizospheric soils showed high concentrations of metals, especially Cu and Pb, which significantly reduced the abundance of the different groups of soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) and the activity of soil dehydrogenase. The analysis of bacterial communities by DGGE revealed that bacterial diversity was not negatively affected by metal-contamination being higher in the most contaminated area (Z1). Conclusions Overall, the microbial abundance, the composition and the diversity of rhizospheric bacterial communities were more influenced by the environmental factors in 3 sampling zones than by plant cover. Microbial counts and enzymatic activity were both systematically affected throughout the metal gradient, evidencing as good indicators of the harmful effects of anthropogenic disturbances in soils. H. scorparium and P. harmala, proved to be good candidates for the development of phytotechnological programs aiming the revegetation of mining degraded areas.
Applied Soil Ecology, 2005
Physical (aggregate stability and bulk density) and microbiological (enzyme activities and labile carbon fractions) properties were studied in soils from a degraded mining site and two areas revegetated with Casuarina equisetifolia L. ex J.R. & G. Forst. or Anacardium occidentale L. under subtropical conditions. An adjacent soil under natural vegetation was used as a standard of local, high quality soil. Six years after planting, revegetation with C. equisetifolia or A. occidentale had resulted in higher soil total organic C, water soluble C and carbohydrates, total N content and aggregate stability compared with the bare soil. Soil bulk density decreased sharply after planting of both the tree species, approaching that of soil under native vegetation. Protease-BAA and b-glucosidase activities were higher in the soil revegetated with C. equisetifolia than in that revegetated with A. occidentale, while the remaining activities reached similar values in both the revegetated soils, these being higher than those of the bare soil. It may be concluded that revegetation with C. equisetifolia or A. occidentale rapidly improved soil physical and microbiological properties of a mining area under subtropical conditions. Soil enzyme activities and labile carbon fractions were very sensitive indicators of the improvement in soil quality resulting from the revegetation. Over the duration of this experiment, revegetated soils were still far from reaching the quality levels of the soil under natural vegetation. #