SpringerLink
Log in

Effects Of Pb, Cu, Sb, In and Ag Contamination on the Proliferation of Soil Bacterial Colonies, Soil Dehydrogenase Activity, and Phospholipid Fatty Acid Profiles of Soil Microbial Communities

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Because of concerns about the toxicity of lead (Pb), the use of antimony (Sb), indium (In), silver (Ag), and other heavy metals are on the increase as its replacement in many kinds of industrial products, particularly in solders. In the present study, effects of Pb, Cu, Sb, In, and Ag contamination on bacterial growth inhibition in PTYG (peptone, tryptone, yeast extract, glucose) liquid media, soil dehydrogenase activity, concentrations and compositions of phospholipids fatty acids (PLFA) were assessed. Survival rates of bacterial colony-forming units were lower in the presence of various concentrations of Pb, Cu, Sb, In, Ag, Zn and Ni than in their absence. Soil dehydrogenase activity in Arenic Eutric Regosol was much decreased when the concentrations of Pb and Cu were 50 times their natural abundance and when Ag was at 100 times its natural abundance. Soil dehydrogenase activity was also much decreased in Eutric Cambisol when Cu was 50 times, and Ag was 100 times, their natural abundances. In contrast, Sb and In did not affect soil dehydrogenase activity at any concentration or in any type of soil. Concentrations and composition of PLFA did not show any conspicuous change. Cu, Sb, In and, especially, Ag, which are increasingly being used to replace Pb, should be considered to be potentially toxic. However, when evaluating the impact of waste metals on the environment, heavy metal solubility, speciation and interaction with organic matter in soil must be considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adriano, D. C.: 1986, Trace Elements in the Terrestrial Environment, Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ainsworth, N., Cooke, J. A. and Johnson, M. S.: 1990, ‘Distribution of antimony in contaminated grassland: 1-vegetation and soils’, Environ. Pollut. 65, 65–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Asami, T.: 2001, The Harmful Metal Pollution of Japanese Soil to Show by the Data, Agune Gijutsu Center, Tokyo (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Aoyama, M. and Nagumo, T.: 1997, ‘Effects of heavy metal accumulation in apple orchard soils on microbial biomass and microbial activities’, Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 43, 601–612.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bååth, E., Frostegård, A. and Fritze, H.: 1992, ‘Soil bacterial biomass, activities, phopholipid fatty acid pattern, and pH tolerance in an area polluted with alkaline dust deposition’, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58, 4026–4031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bååth, E., Frostegård, å., Diaz-Raviña, M. and Tunlid, A.: 1998, ‘Microbial community-based measurements to estimate heavy metal effects in soil: The use of phospholipids fatty acid patterns and bacterial commuity tolerance’, Ambio 27, 58–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bligh, E. G. and Dyer, W. J.: 1959, ‘A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification’, Can. J. Biochem. Physio. 37, 911–917.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossio, D. A., Scow, K. M., Gunapala, N. and Graham, K. J.: 1998, ‘Determinants of soil microbial communities: effects of agricultural management, season, and soil type on phospholipid fatty acid profiles’, Microb. Ecol. 36, 1–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes, P. C. and McGrath, S. P.: 1984, ‘Effects of metal toxicity on the size of the soil microbial biomass’, J. Soil Sci. 35, 341–346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, C. D., Hird, M., Lumsdon, D. G. and Meeuseen, J. C. L.: 2000, ‘The effect of EDTA and fulvic acid on Cd, Zn, and Cu toxicity to a bioluminescent construct (pUCD607) of Escherichia coli’, Chemosphere 40, 319–325.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, P. G. C., Stokes, P. M. and Galloway, J. N.: 1983, ‘The effect of atmospheric deposition on the geochemical cycling and biological availability of metals’, Proceedings of the International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Heidelberg, Germany, CEP Consultants, Edinburgh, UK, pp760–763.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casida, L. E., Klein, D. A. and Santoro, T.: 1964, ‘Soil dehydrogenase activity’, Soil Sci. 98, 371–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavigelli, M. A., Robertson, G. P. and Klug, M. J.: 1995, ‘Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles as measures of soil microbial community structure’, Plant Soil 170, 99–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cela, S. and Sumner, M. E.: 2002a, ‘Soil zinc fractions determine inhibition of nitrification’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 141, 91–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cela, S. and Sumner, M. E.: 2002b, ‘Critical concentrations of copper, nickel, lead, and cadmium in soils based on nitrification’, Comm. in Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 33, 19–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chander, K. and Brookes, P. C.: 1991, ‘Is the dehydrogenase assay invalid as a method to estimate microbial activity in copper-contaminated soils’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 23, 909–915.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, F. H. and Broadbent, F. E.: 1981, ‘Influence of trace-metals on carbon-dioxide evolution from a Yolo soil’, Soil Sci. 132, 416–421.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, F. H. and Broadbent, F. E.: 1982, ‘Influence of trace-metals on some soil-nitrogen transformation’, J. Environ. Qual. 11, 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornfield, A. H.: 1977, ‘Effects of addition of 12 metals on carbon dioxide release during incubation of an acid sandy soil’, Geoderma 19, 199–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlin, S., Witter, E., Maartensson, A., Turner, A. and Bååth, E.: (1997), ‘Where’s the limit? Changes in the microbiological properties of agricultural soils at low levels of metal contamination’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 29, 1405–1415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dai, J., Becquer, T., Rouiller, J. H., Reversat, G., Bernhard-Reversat, F. and Lavelle, P.: 2004, ‘Influence of heavy metals on C and N mineralisation and microbial biomass in Zn-, Pb-, Cu-, and Cd-contaminated soils’, Appl. Soil Ecol. 25, 99–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danecka-Bialek, M. and Domka, F.: 1991, ‘The effect of heavy metal ions on the activity of denitrifiers from Bacillus genus’, Environ. Protec. Eng. 17, 75–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietl, C., Wäber, M., Peichl, L. and Vierle, O.: 1996, ‘Monitoring of airborne metals in grass and depositions’, Chemosphere 33, 2101–2111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doelman, P.: 1986, ‘Resistance of soil microbial communities to heavy metals’, in V. Jensen, A. Kjøller and L.H. Sørensen, (eds), Microbial Communiies in Soil, FEMS Symposium 33, Elsevier, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 369–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewers, U.: 1991, ‘Standards, guidelines, and legislative regulations concerning metals and their compounds’, in E. Merian, (ed), Metals and Their Compounds in the Environment, VCH, New York, pp. 687–711.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO, ISRIC and ISSS: 1998, World reference base for soil resources. World Soil Resources Reports, 84, FAO, Rome, Italy.

  • Flynn, H. C., Meharg, A. A., Bowyer, P. K. and Paton, G. I.: 2003, ‘Antimony bioavailability in mine soils’, Environ. Pollut. 124, 93–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frostegaård, A. and Bååth, E.: 1996, ‘The use of phospholipid fatty acid analysis to estimate bacterial and fungal biomass in soil’, Biol. Fertil. Soils 22, 59–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frostegård, A. Tunlid, A. and Bååth, E.: 1996, ‘Changes in microbial community structure during long-term incubation in two soils experimentally contaminated with metals’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 28, 55–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frostegård, A., Tunlid, A. and Båårth, E.: 1991, ‘Microbial biomass measured as total lipid phosphate in soils of different organic content’, J. Microbiol. Methods 14, 151–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giller, K. E., Witter, E. and McGrath, S. P.: 1998, ‘Toxicity of heavy metals to microorganisms and microbial processes in agricultural soil: A rview’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 30, 1389–1414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammel, W., Debus, R. and Steubing, L.: 2000, ‘Mobility of antimony in soil and its availability to plants’, Chemosphere 41, 1791–1798.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hattori, H.: 1992, ‘Influence of heavy metals on soil microbial activities’, Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 38, 93–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hattori, H.: 1996, ‘Decomposition of organic matter with previous cadmium adsorption in soils’, Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 42, 745–752.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansson, M., Pell, M. and Stenström, J.: 1998, ‘Kinetics of substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and denitrification: Application to a soil amended with silver’, Ambio 27, 40–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, M. C., Thornton, I. and Chon, H.: 2002, ‘Arsenic, Sb and Bi contamination of soils, plants, waters and sediments in the vicinity of the Dalsung Cu-W mine in Korea’, The Sci. Total Environ. 295, 81–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaneda, T.: 1991, ‘Iso- and anteiso-fatty acids in bacteria: Biosynthesis, function, and taxonomic significance’, Microbiol. Rev. 55, 288–302.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. J., Håggblom, M. and Tate, R. L., III: 1999, ‘Changes in soil microbial communities over time resulting from one time application of zinc: A laboratory microcosm study’, Soil Bio. Biochem. 31, 1455–1465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, M. and Scullion, J.: 2000, ‘Effect of soil on microbial responses to metal contamination’, Environ. Pollut. 110, 115–125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kiikkilä, O., Derome, J., Brügger, T., Uhlig, C. and Fritze, H.: (2002), ‘Copper mobility and toxicity of soil percolation water to bacteria in a metal polluted forest soil’, Plant Soil 238, 273–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konopka, A., Zakharova, T., Bischoff, M., Oliver, L., Nakatsu, C. and Turco, R. F.: 1999, ‘Microbial biomass and activity in lead-contaminated soil’, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65, 2256–2259.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kozdroj, J.: 1995, ‘Microbial responses to single or successive soil contamination with Cd or Cu’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 27, 1459–1465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunito, T., Saeki, K., Oyaizu, H. and Matsumoto, S.: 1999, ‘Influences of copper forms on the toxicity to microorganisms in soils’, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety 44, 174–181.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li, J., Rate, A. W. and Gilkes, R. J.: 2004, ‘Silver ion desorption kinetics from iron oxides and soil organic matter. Effect of adsorption period’, Aust. J. Soil Res. 42, 59–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, C. N. and Tabatabai, M. A.: 1977, ‘Effects of trace elements on nitrogen mineralisation in soils’, Environ. Pollut. 12, 141–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, C. N. and Tabatabai, M. A.: 1978, ‘Effects of trace elements on nitrification in soils’, J. Environ. Qual. 7, 291–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohya, H., Komai, Y. and Yamaguchi, M.: 1986, ‘Zinc effects on a soil bacterial flora characterized by fatty acid composition of the isolates’, Biol. Fertil. Soils 2, 59–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, J. H., Smith, G. A., Fredrickson, H. L., Vestal, J. R. and White, D. C.: 1982, ‘Sensitive assay, based on hydroxy fatty acids from lipopolysaccharide lipid A, for Gram-negative bacteria in sediments’, Appl. Environ. Microb. 44, 1170–1177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennanen, T., Frostegård, A., Fritze, H. and Bååth, E.: 1996, ‘Phospholipid fatty acid composition and heavy metal tolerance of soil microbial communities along two heavy metal-polluted gradients in coniferous forest’, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62, 420–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perez-Mateos, M. and Gonzalez-Carcedo, S.: 1987, ‘Effect of silver, cadmium and lead on soil enzyme activity’, Rev. Ecol. Biol. Sol. 24, 11–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renella, G., Ortigozab, A. L. R., Landia, L. and Nannipieri, P.: 2003, ‘Additive effects of copper and zinc on cadmium toxicity on phosphatase activities and ATP content of soil as estimated by the ecological dose (ED50)’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 35, 1203–1210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, J. M., Cresser, M. and Cotter-Howells, J.: 2001, ‘Toxicological response of a bioluminescent microbial assay to Zn, Pb and Cu in an artificial soil solution: Relationship with total metal concentrations and free ion activities’, Environ. Pollut. 114, 129–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, D. J.: 1970, ‘Effects of storage in dehydrogenase activities of soils’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 2, 55–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sauvě, S., Dumestre, A., McBride, M. and Hendershot, W.: 1998, ‘Derivation of soil quality criteria using predicted chemical speciation of Pb2+ and Cu2+’, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 17, 1481–1489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stead, D. E., Sellwood, J. E., Wilson, J. and Viney, I.: 1992, ‘Evaluation of a commercial microbial identification system based on fatty acid profiles for rapid, accurate identification of plant pathogenic bacteria’, J. Appl. Bacteriol. 72, 315–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tchounwou, P. B. and Reed, L.: 1999, ‘Assessment of lead toxicity to the marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, and to a heterogeneous population of microorganisms derived from the Pearl river in Jackson, Mississippi, USA’, Rev. Environ. Heal. 14, 51–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tollefson, T. S. and McKercher, R. B.: 1983, ‘The degradation of 14C-labelled phosphatidyl choline in soil’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 15, 145–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trevors, J. T.: 1984, ‘Dehydrogenase activity in soil: A comparison between the INT and TTC assay’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 16, 673–674.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsang, K. W., Dugan, P. R. and Pfister, R. M.: 1994, ‘Mobilization of Bi, Cd, Pb, Th, and U ions from contaminated soil and the influence of bacteria on the process’, ACS Symposium Series 554, 78–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tunlid, A. and White, D. C.: 1992, ‘Biochemical analysis biomass, community structure, nutritional status, a metabolic activity of microbial communities in soil’, in G. Stotzky and J. M. Bollag (eds), Soil Biochemistry, Dekker, New York, USA, pp.229–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, D. C., Davis, W. M., Nickels, J., King, J. D. and Bobbie, R. J.: 1979, ‘Determination of the sedimentary microbial biomass by extractable lipid phosphate’, Oecologia 40, 51–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wlike, B. M.: 1991, ‘Effects of single and successive additions of cadmium, nickel and zinc on carbon dioxide evolution and dehydrogenase activity in a sandy luvisol’, Biol. Fertil. Soils 11, 34–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zelles, L. and Bai, Q. Y.: 1993, ‘Fractionation of fatty acids derived from soil lipids by solid extraction and their quantitative analysis by GC by MS’, Soil Biol. Biochem. 25, 495–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water & Soil Environment Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa 16-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan

    Tomoyoshi Murata, Masami Kanao-Koshikawa & Takejiro Takamatsu

Authors
  1. Tomoyoshi Murata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Masami Kanao-Koshikawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Takejiro Takamatsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomoyoshi Murata.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Murata, T., Kanao-Koshikawa, M. & Takamatsu, T. Effects Of Pb, Cu, Sb, In and Ag Contamination on the Proliferation of Soil Bacterial Colonies, Soil Dehydrogenase Activity, and Phospholipid Fatty Acid Profiles of Soil Microbial Communities. Water Air Soil Pollut 164, 103–118 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-005-2254-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-005-2254-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation