Abstract
Purpose
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is considered a promising bioremediation technology for stabilization of metals in soil. The study investigated the stabilization efficiencies of metal-chelant complexes by SRB in the chelator-washed soil and explored the relevant mechanisms.
Materials and methods
The two SRB strains (10%, OD600 = 1) and their mixture (v:v = 1:1) were inoculated into the mixed chelator (MC)–washed alkaline (AL) and acidic (AC) soils to treat the residual metal (Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn)–chelant complexes. The treatment groups included CK-AL/AC (deionized water + soil), S-AL/AC (Shewanella JN01 + soil), C-AL/AC (Clostridium ZG01 + soil), and M-AL/AC (the mixed two strains + soil). Total and available heavy metals and soil physicochemical properties were measured. Bacterial community composition was analyzed by a high-throughput sequencing technique.
Results and discussion
The results showed that SRB treatment increased the reduction efficiencies of SO42- by 63.84–85.80% and 51.45–60.17% in the MC-washed alkaline and acidic soils, respectively. SRB had higher stabilization efficiencies of metal-chelant complexes in the MC-washed alkaline soil (13.07–64.95%) than those in the MC-washed acidic soil (< 13%), mainly because alkaline condition was more favorable for the dechelation of metal-chelant complexes by SRB to form metal sulfide precipitation. The inoculation of SRB into the MC-washed alkaline soil more successfully stimulated indigenous bacteria than the MC-washed acidic soil did, contributing to larger numbers of positive correlations between bacterial genera (dominantly from Firmicutes) and metal stabilization efficiencies in the MC-washed alkaline soil. Additionally, less elevation degree of MC-washed alkaline soil pH after SRB treatment (~ 0.1) than those in the MC-washed acidic soil (0.72–1.02) was more conducive to adsorption of negatively charged metal-chelant complexes on the MC-washed alkaline soil. The stabilization efficiencies of different metal-chelant complexes are not only related to their stability constant and availability but also associated with the solubility constants of metal sulfide.
Conclusions
The SRB treatment is a promising green technology for stabilizing metal-chelant complexes in chelator-washed soils, particularly effective in the MC-washed alkaline soil.
Graphical Abstract
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Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Abbreviations
- AC:
-
The washed acidic soil
- AL:
-
The washed alkaline soil
- AN:
-
Available nitrogen
- AP:
-
Available phosphorus
- C:
-
Clostridium ZG01
- CA:
-
Citric acid
- CEC:
-
Cation exchange capacity
- EDDS:
-
S,S-ethylene-diamine-disuccinic acid
- EDTA:
-
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- GLDA:
-
N, N-bis(carboxymethyl) glutamic acid
- ICP-OES:
-
Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry
- M:
-
The mixed two strains
- MC:
-
The mixed chelator
- OM:
-
Organic matter
- S:
-
Shewanella JN01
- SRB:
-
Sulfate-reducing bacteria
- TN:
-
Total nitrogen
- TP:
-
Total phosphorus
- XRD:
-
X-ray diffraction
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This study was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province (No. 20210302123204).
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Guixiang Zhang: methodology, data analysis, original draft, validation, and funding; Yu Gao: experiment, writing original draft, data analysis, and diagramming; Rui Ren: experiment, characterization, and data analysis; Xiaofang Guo: investigation, project administration, funding, resources, supervision; Baoshan Xing: validation, reviewing, and editing; Yang Li: data analysis and editing; Zheyun Zhang: determination and diagramming; Hao Wu: validation and editing.
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Zhang, G., Gao, Y., Ren, R. et al. Enhanced biological stabilization of metal-chelant complexes in the chelator-washed soils by sulfate-reducing bacteria. J Soils Sediments 23, 2457–2472 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03487-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03487-x