Emerging resistant microbiota from an acidic soil exposed to toxicity of Cr, Cd and Pb is mainly influenced by the bioavailability of these metals

Purpose

The effect of pollutants in soil microorganisms is an important issue in order to understand their toxic effects in the environment, as well as for developing adequate bioremediation strategies. In this sense, the main objective of this study was to assess the involvement of the indigenous microbiota of an acidic forest Mediterranean soil by artificial pollution with heavy metals, and to detect and isolate resistant microorganisms that could be useful for bioremediation.

Materials and methods

Samples from a previously unpolluted acidic forest soil were amended with Cr(VI), Cd(II) or Pb(II) at total amounts ranging from 0.1 to 5,000 mg?kg^?1. These soil microcosms were incubated under controlled laboratory conditions for 28 days. Soluble fractions of metals were determined from aqueous extracts. Both activity and composition of the microbial community were assessed, respectively, by respirometric assays and molecular analysis (polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). The isolation of metal-resistant microorganisms was attempted by culture plating from microcosms incubated with high concentrations of metals. Isolated strains were tested in cultures with minimal medium to check for their metal resistance and their capacity to reduce the presence of toxic Cr(VI).

Results and discussion

A decrease in the soil respirometric activity and changes in the microbial community composition were detected from 10/100 mg?kg^?1 Cr and 1,000 mg?kg^?1 Cd and Pb. Presumably resistant bacterial and fungal populations developed in most of these polluted microcosms; however, the microbiota was severely impaired at the highest additions of Cr. Even though Cr was the most damaging metal in soil microcosms, if the soluble fractions of metals are considered instead of their total added amounts, the comparison among their toxic effects suggests a similar potential toxicity of Cr and Pb. Isolated multiresistant microorganisms were related mainly to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Ascomycota. Some of them showed the capacity to reduce Cr(VI) concentrations between 54 % and 70 % of the initial value. These strains were affiliated to several species of Streptomyces and Bacillus.

Conclusions

The combination of respirometric assays with molecular methods has been useful to assess the effect of metals on the soil microbial community, which can greatly be explained by their differential bioavailability. Cultivation-dependent and -independent approaches have proved the presence and development of multiresistant microorganisms in a previously unpolluted soil. Due to their properties, some of the isolated strains are potentially useful for soil bioremediation.     

SWORM: an agent-based model to simulate the effect of earthworms on soil structure

Soil structure can be defined as the spatial organization of solid mineral and organic particles, and pore space. It is of great importance for soil functioning as it drives ecosystem functions (carbon sequestration, emission of greenhouse gases, nutrient cycling, primary productivity, etc.). Soil structure results from biotic and abiotic factors. Among biotic factors, numerous studies have shown the importance of organic matter, microorganisms, roots and invertebrates. Earthworms are known to play a key role in soil structure formation and maintenance through a continuous production of biogenic structures (casts and burrows). As far as we know, no models describe or quantify the effect of soil invertebrates on soil aggregation and porosity. It is a challenge to describe the physical soil environment for purposes of modelling because a soil is a multi‐scale heterogeneous, three‐dimensional and dynamic environment. An approach based on fractal theory (often used in soil sciences) was chosen to model such a real complex environment; it was integrated into a multi‐agent system (MAS), which allows us to simulate agents (e.g. earthworms) situated in a virtual world (e.g. soil). It is a bottom‐up approach that allows us to describe a system at a micro level (e.g. earthworms and their local soil environment) in order to observe, during simulations, macroscopic changes (e.g. soil structure evolution, organic matter dynamics, and microbial functions). In this paper we describe the SWORM (for ‘Simulated Worms’) model and the simulator, and present the results of the simulation applied to a case study. The effect of compacting and decompacting earthworm species on the structure of humid savanna soil at Lamto in Côte d’Ivoire has been widely studied. Quantitative and graphical outputs (e.g. thin sections of the virtual soil) indicate that the simulator was able to reproduce the effects of both compacting and decompacting species. Different ways to improve the model are discussed.     

Deposition of gold mining tailings in tropical soils: metal pollution and toxicity to earthworms

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study consists of the evaluation of metals acute toxicity levels taking into consideration a hypothetic scenario of dam breaking and land deposition of two...     

Relative toxicity of cadmium,lead, and zinc on barley

Abstract

The relative toxicity of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) on the growth performance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was measured. Lead and Zn resulted in an increase in dry matter production at the lower additions. All the Cd and the higher Pb and Zn additions resulted in significant decreases in growth over the controls, the roots showing a greater decrease in dry matter accumulation than did shoots. Roots accumulated higher amounts of Cd, Pb, and Zn in direct proportion to that soil‐applied. A significant inverse relationship between relative yield and tissue element concentration was observed. Toxicity occurred in the following order: Cd > Pb > Zn. Threshold concentration, critical tissue concentrations, and loading rates to produce a 10% yield reduction were also calculated. Our study indicates the possibility of estimating barley yield based on plant tissue Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations.     

The effect of soil lead sorption capacity on the uptake of lead by corn

Abstract

Lead uptake by four‐week‐old corn shoots grown in Fb‐amended soils was found to be dependent upon the level of Pb in the soil relative to the soil's capacity to sorb Pb. At a given level of added Pb, lead uptake by plants was found to decrease with an increase in soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and available phosphorus.     

Accumulation of Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb in Chinese cabbage as influenced by climatic conditions under protected cultivation

Accumulation of heavy metals from agricultural soils contaminated by low levels heavy metals has important implications in the understanding of heavy metal contamination in the food chain. Through field experiments (1994-1996), the influence of thermal regime under different treatments on the accumulation of zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead in Chinese cabbage [Brassica pekinensis (Lour) Rupr. cv. Nagaoka 50] grown in a Calcareous Fluvisol (Xerofluvent) in Granada (southern Spain) was examined. Two floating row covers were used: T(1) (perforated polyethylene, 50 microm thick) and T(2) (17 g m(-2) polypropylene nonwoven fleece). An uncovered cultivation (T(0)) served as control. Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb levels in the whole tops of experimental plants were analyzed. Treatments T(1) and T(2) gave rise to differences in environmental conditions with respect to T(0). The influence of environmental factors manipulated by floating row covers (particularly under T(1)) increased total heavy metal accumulation in the above ground plant biomass with respect to the open-air crop. The total contents of Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb were 30, 50, 90, and 40% higher in T(1), respectively, than in T(0). This technique could be used in contaminated zones for different plant species because the thermal effect favors the process of phytoextraction and thus reduces the contamination.     

Mycorrhizal colonization and nitrogen uptake by maize: combined effect of tropical earthworms and velvetbean mulch

Earthworms and mulch can have positive or negative effects on mycorrhizae (fungus-roots) and N uptake by plants. In the present experiment, maize plants were grown under greenhouse conditions with or without tropical earthworms (Balanteodrilus pearsei) and mulch of velvetbean (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis). The formation of vesicles and hyphae of arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in roots and N uptake by maize plants was measured at harvest. The addition of earthworms and velvetbean reduced AM root colonization. Earthworms had no effect on plant root or shoot biomass. In the absence of velvetbean, earthworms reduced AM colonization, but when velvetbean was present, this effect disappeared. The addition of velvetbean mulch, on the other hand, had an effect on plant biomass (above- and belowground) and a positive effect on AM fungal colonization of roots in presence of worms, but a negative effect when worms were absent. When both M. pruriens and B. pearsei were added, shoot and root biomass and N concentrations increased. Vesicle formation was related to velvetbean mulch decomposition as well as the higher N concentration in maize roots. Management of mulch–earthworm interactions may be of value, particularly in low-input and organic agricultural systems, and deserves further investigation.     

Sorption of lead,copper, zinc,and cadmium by soils: effect of nitriloacetic acid on metal retention

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluate lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) sorption‐desorption by three soils of contrasting characteristics. Talamanca (silt loam, montmorillonite, Calcic Haploxeralfs), Mazowe (clay, kaolinite, Rhodic Kandiustalf), and Realejos (sandy silt loam, allophane, Typic Hapludands). A second objective was to study the effect of nitriloacetic acid (NTA) on the sorption process. The Talamanca soil, which had a native pH of 6.4 and presented the highest effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), sorbed more of each of the metal tested than did the other two soils. When the other two soils were compared metal sorption was also related to pH and ECEC. The very low sorption capacity showed by Realejos may be attributed to the low net surface negative charge density of this soil, arising from its allophanic nature. A common feature of the three soils was the relative strong sorption of both Pb and Cu relative to Cd and Zn with Pb showing the highest sorption levels. The selectivity sequences of metals retention were Pb>Cu>Zn>Cd for Talamanca soil, Pb>Cu>Zn≈Cd for Mazowe, and Pb>Cu>Cd>Zn for Realejos. Metal desorption values were low. The order of metal desorption (Cd≈Zn>Cu>Pb) was the same for the three soils studied. Quantitative differences observed in the extractability of the sorbed metals between the soils (Realejos>Mazowe>Talamanca) indicated that soil properties which enhanced metal sorption contributed at the same time to slow down the backward reaction. The addition of NTA to the soil suspension significantly depressed metal sorption by the three soils investigated. Compared with the free ligand system Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd sorption in the presence of NTA decreased roughly 50%.     

Bioaccumulation of Copper by Zea mays: Impact on Root, Shoot and Leaf Growth

In the present study, the growth and the Cu²⁺accumulation by roots, shoots and leaves of Zea mays were examined using copper sulphate in the range of 10^?4 to 10^?2 M. Plants of Z. mays did not show inhibition of growth in the presence of 10^?4 to 10^?2 M Cu²⁺; however, it was observed growth effects on root when different Cu²⁺ solution concentrations were used. Only the seedlings exposed to 10^?2 M exhibited substantial root growth reduction, yielding only 56% of length with respect to the control. Seedlings exposed to 10^?4 M Cu²⁺ exhibited 16% and 42% growth increase in shoots and leaves, respectively, when compared with the controls. The seedlings treated with 10^?3 and 10^?2 M Cu²⁺ were inhibited in shoot and leaf growth. The fresh weights in roots, shoots and leaves significantly decreased at 10^?2 M Cu²⁺. The tolerance index, based on root length, was not significantly different for the three different treatments with copper. However, the total accumulation rate was very low at 10^?4 and 10^?3 M compared to 10^?2 Cu treatments. The capacity of copper accumulation by roots, shoots and leaves of Z. mays plants increased concomitant to the copper concentration, arriving to 382 times more in roots, 157 in shoots and only 16 in leaves, all compared to the controls. Cu could be accumulated by roots, shoots and leaves when the initial concentrations were 10^?3 and 10^?4 M. However, when it was 10^?2 M, the metal could not be accumulated by leaf and shoot levels; the roots could increase their copper accumulation capacity three times compared to the control. Z. mays has potential ability to accumulate Cu without being overly sensitive to Cu toxicity.     

The effect of pH on the retention of Cu,Pb, Cd,and Zn by clay-fulvic acid mixtures

The addition of fulvic acid to clay suspensions (kaolinite, illite or montmorrillonite) resulted in increased uptake of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn ions over the pH range 3 to 6, due to the limited solubility of one of the metal-fulvate species formed. At higher pH values, residual metal ion was retained in solution, instead of precipitating as hydroxy species. The amount of total metal ion found in solution at equilibrium was determined by the quantity and type of clay added; the amount of organic acid present; and to a lesser extent, pH. The behavior of the clay-fulvic acid systems differed from that observed using other organic materials such as gelatine, tannic acid or a humic acid.     

The effect of pH on the retention of Cu,Pb, Zu and Cd by clay-humic acid mixtures

The amount of metal ion sorbed by the solids increased with increasing pH over the range 3 to 6, and with mixtures of clay-cellulose or illite-humic acid the uptake corresponded to the direct addition of individual substrate adsorption values. When the humic acid samples were admixed with Na⁺-form kaolinite or montmorillonite, there was some reduction in adsorption, attributable to component interactions, and this effect was most marked in the presence of Cu and Zn ions. In alkaline media there was competition between the ability of the organic material to form soluble metal humates and the tendency of the clays to strongly retain the sparingly soluble metal hydroxy species formed at pH > 6. In most systems studied retention by the solid phase predominated. In the presence of tannic acid there were distinct pH regions in which the four metal ions formed compounds of limited solubility, with the pH for maximum precipitation ranging from 4.5 (Cu) to 7 (Cd). The introduction of clay suspensions increased the amount precipitated/sorbed in these pH regions. The amount of Cu, Pb, Zn or Cd retained by mixed suspensions varied markedly with pH, nature of the clay and the chemical nature of organic components.     

Long-Term Changes in the Bioaccumulation of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in Macroinvertebrates from the Elbe River (Czech Republic)

The Elbe River was extremely loaded by heavy metals and arsenic during the second half of the 20th century as a consequence of intensive chemical industry activities. To assess long-term contamination trends in the Elbe after socio-economical changes in 1989, selected macroinvertebrate species were used to identify biotic accumulation levels in the period from 1993 to 2005. Concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg were determined in Asellus aquaticus (Crustacea), Bythinia tentaculata (Mollusca), Erpobdella spp. (Hirudinea), and larvae of the family Chironomidae (Diptera) over a 3-year period along the longitudinal profile of the Czech part of the Elbe River and the lower Vltava (the main Elbe tributary). In this study, new evaluative approaches were used to assess these multiparameter data sets. The results showed that the most contaminated Czech sites were located in the industry-heavy middle Elbe region between Valy and Ob?íství. Surprisingly high concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb were observed in the upper stretch near the headwaters. Probably as a consequence of former mining activities and the metallurgic and glass industries, the lower Vltava was loaded with Cd and Pb. Despite substantial improvements in the water quality of the Elbe River within the studied time period, we found no general decreasing trend of As, Cd, and Pb in macrozoobenthos. A significant decrease of Hg was revealed, however, occurring already between 1993 and 1996. The results of interspecies comparisons showed that the investigated elements were most accumulated by chironomid larvae and Erpobdella spp.     

Historical rates of atmospheric Pb deposition using210Pb dated peat cores: Corroboration,computation, and interpretation

Lead-210 dating of peat cores is one approach that has been used to arrive at historical rates of heavy metal deposition. Despite concerns regarding the validity of²¹⁰Pb dating due to Pb mobility,²¹⁰Pb dating can be used if the dates are corroborated with some other independent dating technique. In this study, based on analyses of²¹⁰Pb dated, pollen corroborated peat cores from two sites in the Czech Republic (Jezerní sla and Bo?í Dar Bog), we illustrate a previously unexplored problem concerning the computation of metal deposition, using Pb as an example. When peat cores are collected, sectioned into depth intervals,²¹⁰Pb dated and analyzed for metal contents, the²¹⁰Pb dates most appropriately correspond to the midpoint depth for each interval, whereas the metal contents correspond to the interval between the top and bottom of each section. Thus the²¹⁰Pb dates and metal content values throughout the core are offset by half the distance of each depth interval. In calculating historical rates of heavy metal deposition two approaches are available for correcting for the depth interval offsets, the traditional approach of date interpolation and our newly proposed metal content interpolation. We see noa priori reason for choosing one approach over the other, and suggest simultaneous use of both date and metal content interpolation. Additionally, acid-insoluble ash (AIA), which has been proposed as a dating technique in and of itself, may be more useful as an interpretive tool which may provide insights into the nature or sources of atmospherically deposited Pb. For example, plots of Pb content per core section versus AIA content per core section for Jezerní slat, located in a relatively pristine area, reveal increased Pb content without increased AIA contents in depths shallower than 6 cm, indicating deposition of gasoline-derived Pb after its introduction in 1922. Similar plots for Bo?í Dar Bog, located in a polluted industrialized region, indicate greater inputs of Pb than would be predicted from AIA, based on the Jezerní sla analyses. We interpret the apparent excess Pb deposition at Bo?í Dar Bog as being contributed by soil-derived dust from local metal mining. Elevated rates in Pb deposition at Bo?í Dar Bog are consistent with the history of local mining known to have occurred in the vicinity. Finally, magnetic susceptibility measurements identify combustion of fossil fuels as a source of atmospheric Pb deposition at Bo?í Dar Bog, but not at Jezerní sla      

Effects of edaphic factors on the tree stand diversity in a tropical forest of Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico

Two sites with similar environmental parameters, except for the edaphic factor, were selected in the mountainous tropical forest of southern Mexico. Site 1 was established on an Alisol; site 2, on a Phaeozem. Representative soil profiles were examined on each of the sites, and topsoil was sampled on a regular grid pattern. The soil of site 2 was richer in organic matter and major nutrients and had a less acid reaction than the soil of site 1. The species diversity of the trees at site 2 (30 species) was higher than that at site 1 (17 species). The species compositions of the trees were different on the two soils: there were only six species in common for both sites. The coefficients of species similarity on the sites were low. We concluded that the presence of different soils within the same type of forest ecosystem increases its ??-diversity. The examination of edaphic preferences of the species showed that Alstonia longifolia and Thouinidium decandrum preferred rich soils, Inga punctata and Ocotea sinuata preferred poor soils, and Cupania dentata and Hamelia patens did not display preferences in the studied range of soil properties. Thus, the spatial variability of the soil properties affect the spatial pattern of tree species in the studied tropical forest ecosystems.     

Exudation of organic anions by roots of cabbage,carrot, and potato as influenced by environmental factors and plant age

A previous study demonstrated that cabbage was P efficient compared to carrot and potato. However, calculating plant P uptake by a mechanistic simulation model based on P transport by diffusion and mass flow, P uptake of roots according to the Michaelis‐Menten kinetics, and morphological root characteristics including root hairs, revealed that these parameters could explain only 2/5 of the total P uptake of cabbage, but 4/5 of that of carrot and potato (Dechassa et al., 2003). Therefore, it was hypothesized that a higher root exudation of organic anions may enhance P mobilization and hence P uptake of cabbage. The objective of this research was to determine root exudation of organic anions by the three species, and to investigate the influence of plant age and dark/light period on organic‐anion exudation by cabbage. Experiments were conducted in a growth chamber in nutrient solution with or without P. Organic anions were determined in root exudates and in root tissue. With cabbage and potato, P deficiency induced exudation of citrate and succinate, respectively. Citrate‐exudation rate of P‐deficient cabbage plants was correlated with accumulation of citrate in root tissue. In contrast, high succinate‐exudation rates in potato were not correlated with an increased concentration in root tissue. For carrot, no change was observed in the exudation of any of the organic anions in response to P deficiency. The results also showed that succinate‐ and citrate‐exudation rates of cabbage roots increased with increased plant age. There was also a significant increase in exudation rates of organic anions of cabbage roots during the light period of the day. It was concluded that cabbage had the ability to exude large amounts of citrate in response to P deficiency by which it can additionally enhance its P‐uptake efficiency, whereas carrot and potato showed little evidence of possessing such a mechanism.     

Influence of topographic and edaphic factors on vulnerability to soil degradation due to cattle grazing in humid tropical mountains in northern Honduras

Low altitude humid tropical mountains in Central America have experienced a process of livestock expansion during recent decades. However, the use of sloping areas for cattle grazing may lead to significant soil degradation and therefore we examined the influence of the slope gradient on soil degradation in pastures in a humid tropical mountainous area in northern Honduras. Understanding this relationship permits estimates of the physical carrying capacity of the soil, which in turn may help to improve livestock use within the study area. Variables examined included soil bulk density, texture, organic matter content and consistency as well as visual indicators of soil and vegetation degradation. There is a significant positive correlation between the bulk density as a proxy for soil degradation and slope gradient. Furthermore, it was found that when soils are water-saturated grazing leads to severe degradation. Together with visual indicators, these data show that paddocks with slopes less than 30% have a carrying capacity between 900 and 1900 Animal Units (AU) ha^− 1 year^− 1 and many are currently underutilized. Paddocks with slopes between 30 and 50% have a carrying capacity between 400 and 600 AU ha^− 1 year^− 1. Paddocks with slopes over 50% have the lowest carrying capacity: less than 200 AU ha^− 1 year^− 1. The latter are frequently over-used; most of them show clear signs of soil and vegetation degradation. Land use in these areas needs to change or their grazing management needs to be reorganized to adjust actual stocking rate to physical carrying capacity of the soils to prevent further degradation.     

Organic carbon storage in soils of the Basque Country (Spain): the effect of climate,vegetation type and edaphic variables

This study was performed to identify the environmental factors that control soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) and to evaluate the impact of land use change on SOC budget in this territory. A total of 30 samples of the organomineral horizon were taken under representative vegetation types including native forest, coniferous plantations, scrub, pasture and cultures. The edaphic variables measured were organic C content, pH, total N, available P, exchangeable H⁺ and Al³⁺, cation exchange capacity (CEC), texture, and carbonates. The substitution of the original forest with a pasture led to a significant increase in organic C content of the topsoil in all cases studied. Temperature was the main climatic factor affecting the organic C levels in soil, being the two variables negatively correlated. The CEC and texture were other key factors controlling the organic C content, which increased with CEC and decreased with total sand. Average organic C content of the organomineral horizon did not differ significantly (P <0.05) with base content of original substrate nor climate type, but it was more sensitive to climate change in the Atlantic soils than in the Mediterranean ones, where edaphic variables such as CEC and texture were important in regulating C sequestration.     

Chronic and reproductive toxicity of cadmium,zinc, and lead in binary and tertiary mixtures to the earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

Journal of Soils and Sediments - The presence of one metal can alter the toxicity of another metal by having an additive, synergistic, or antagonistic impact. Mixed metal pollution has clear...