| Abstract: | Effects of different soil properties on the microbial toxicity of lead and cadmium Effects of different soil properties on the microbial toxicity of lead and cadmium were investigated in laboratory experiments on ten arable and nine preserve area soils. Microbial activity was measured by means of the dehydrogenase and the arginine-ammonification tests. The latter was not suitable to show the microbial toxicity of both metals. Effects of lead on dehydrogenase activity were mainly influenced by its concentration in soil solution (r = 0,79). Thus, all soil properties which determined the adsorption of lead correlated significantly with the relative dehydrogenase activities of the contaminated soils. The most important abiotic factors influencing the toxicity of lead were the soil pH and the CEC. Cd solubility and Cd toxicity were influenced by soil pH in a contrary way. Low Cd concentrations caused greater inhibitions of dehydrogenase activity at neutral and slightly alkaline soil reaction than under acidic conditions. Therefore, correlations between Cd concentrations of soil solutions or clay content and dehydrogenase activity were only significant if partial correlation analysis (constant pH) was used. |
