Title: The possibilities of restoring the enzymatic balance of soil contaminated with cadmium

Authors: Magdalena Zaborowska; Jadwiga Wyszkowska; Jan Kucharski

Addresses: Department of Microbiology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland ' Department of Microbiology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland ' Department of Microbiology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland

Abstract: The effectiveness of four substances, including two innovative products - basalt meal and algae extract, and two conventional soil improvers - barley straw and compost, was evaluated in this study. The activities of soil enzymes (dehydrogenases, urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and catalase) in response to increasing Cd²⁺ doses were monitored. Enzymatic activity levels were used to calculate indicators of soil resistance (RS) and soil resilience (RL). The evaluated enzymes were classified in the following order based on their sensitivity to soil pollution with Cd²⁺: dehydrogenases > urease > alkaline phosphatase > acid phosphatase > catalase. Barley straw was most effective in mitigating the adverse impact of Cd²⁺ on the biochemical properties of soil, whereas algae extract and compost were less effective soil amendments. Compost neutralised the inhibitory effect of Cd²⁺ on enzymatic activity, but it significantly enhanced the analysed metal's negative impact on oat yield. Basalt meal was not an effective soil improver.

Keywords: cadmium; soil enzymes; algae extract; barley straw; basalt meal; compost; enzymatic balance; soil contamination; dehydrogenases; urease; acid phosphatase; alkaline phosphatase; catalase; soil pollution; oat yield; soil improvement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2015.077188

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2015 Vol.58 No.3, pp.197 - 214

Accepted: 15 Dec 2015
Published online: 22 Jun 2016 *

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