Immobilization and species of heavy metals in soils in the absence and presence of rhizobia

Abstract

The effect of bacterial inoculation of Rhizobium fredii HN01 on the immobilization and speciation of Cu, Zn, and Cd was studied in Red and Cinnamon soil which are typical Chinese soils. The soil was mixed with bacterial suspension for one week followed by an immobilization of each heavy metal for another week. The total binding and fractionation of heavy metals in soils were analyzed. As compared with the control, the retention of total Cu, Zn, and Cd in Red soil increased by 28, 16, and 28%, respectively, in the presence of rhizobia. The amount of exchangeable, NH₄OAc-extractable, Mn oxides-bound and organic matter-bound Cu increased by 23–123%. There were significant decrease of exchangeable Cu and marked increases of NH₄OAc-extractable and Mn oxide-bound Cu in Cinnamon soil with the presence of rhizobial cells, although no changes for the total retention of Cu were observed. The amount of exchangeable Zn in Red soil-rhizobia composite was 20% greater than that of the no-rhizobia soil. Addition of rhizobia also increased exchangeable Cd and specifically-adsorbed Cd by 25 and 93%, respectively, in Red soil. No considerable differences were found for the total immobilization of Zn and Cd as well as their distribution in various solid fractions of Cinnamon soil in the absence and presence of rhizobial cells. In terms of soil components, it is assumed that bacterial biomass had a relatively less impact on the species of heavy metals bound with Fe oxides. Results suggested that the retention and speciation of heavy metals in soil are governed largely by the interactions of bacteria with various inorganic and organic soil constituents. The data are useful in understanding the impact of microorganisms on the behavior, mobility and transformation of heavy metals in soil environments.