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Stability of bacterial populations in tropical soil upon exposure to Lindane

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Abstract

The effect of the pesticide Lindane on microbial populations was analyzed in soil with a history of contamination with various chemicals, including this pesticide. Soil microcosms were amended with 100 mg Lindane/kg soil and microbial populations were monitored for 70 days. Bacterial cell concentrations, metabolic versatility (whole community Biolog), and genetic diversity (16S rDNA/denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) were used to monitor microbial communities. Results show the persistence of Lindane in the soil environment; at the end of the experiment, 70% of the added Lindane remained undegraded. A reduction of 50% in bacterial cell concentration was observed in Lindane-amended microcosms during the 2nd week of the experiment. This reduction was correlated with a reduction in the rate of substrate utilization as observed by Biolog. Overall, no effect of Lindane was observed on the metabolic versatility and genetic diversity in these soils, demonstrating the ability of these bacterial populations to tolerate the pressure caused by the addition of pesticides.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Johana Santamaria and Giomar Rivera for their comments on the manuscript. This project was funded by a grant from NASA-IRA and an RCMI grant to the University of Puerto Rico.

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  1. Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360 , San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931–3360

    Roberto A. Rodríguez & Gary A. Toranzos

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  1. Roberto A. Rodríguez
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  2. Gary A. Toranzos
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Correspondence to Gary A. Toranzos.

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Rodríguez, R.A., Toranzos, G.A. Stability of bacterial populations in tropical soil upon exposure to Lindane. Int Microbiol 6, 253–258 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10123-003-0137-9

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