Effects of lead on the soil bacterial microflora

The sensitivity of soil bacteria towards Pb was investigated. Soil suspensions from fourteen different soil types with a high or low Pb content were plated out on soil extract agar containing various concentrations of PbCl₂.In agar with a high Pb content, higher bacterial counts were found with suspensions from Pb-containing soils than with those of soils with a low Pb content. In the Pb-containing soils, proportionally more gram-negative rods were present while coryneform bacteria decreased. In an additional experiment, in which Pb was added to a sandy soil, more Pb-tolerant bacterial strains were found 3 years later than in the same soil without Pb.When pure cultures of the bacteria isolated from the soils were tested in liquid media for Pb tolerance, a higher proportion of tolerant strains was found in Pb-containing soils. Among strains of gram-negative bacteria isolated from these soils a higher proportion of tolerant strains was found than in corneform bacteria.It was concluded that as a consequence of Pb pollution of soil a selection of Pb-tolerant bacteria may take place.