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Application of modified attapulgite in phthalate acid ester-contaminated soil: Effects on phthalate acid ester dissipation and the composition of soil microbial community

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Abstract

The effects of modified attapulgite (MA) on the dissipations of the plasticizers di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in soil, as well as on the composition of soil microbial community, were studied. DBP, DEHP (50 mg kg−1 in soil, respectively), and MA (1, 5, and 10 % in soil) were mixed thoroughly with soil and incubated for 60 days. DBP- and DEHP-contaminated soils without MA were used as the controls. Both of DBP and DEHP residues in bulk soils and four soil fractions were measured at five incubation times 1, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days, and their dissipation kinetic equations were analyzed. The microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations were also measured at the end of experiment. Our results showed that the effect of modified attapulgite on DBP dissipation was related to its dosage in soil. The DEHP dissipation was both inhibited by MA at the 5 and 10 % rates in soils. The application of MA changed the content percentages but did not change the concentration order of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in soil particle-size fractions. The total microbial PLFA content was significantly increased by 5 and 10 % MA in the contaminated soils. Meanwhile, the gram-negative (GN)/gram-positive (GP) ratios increased when MA was applied at the dosages of 5 and 10 % in DBP and 10 % in DEHP-contaminated soils. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the change of bacteria PLFA, especially the GN bacterial PLFA, depended on the dosages of MA added into soil. The application of MA into soil has a positive effect on reducing the eco-toxicity of PAEs in soil based on the analysis of the soil microbial PLFA.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (project BK20131216), the Natural Science Foundation of Education Bureau of Jiangsu Province (project 08KJB610001), the Agricultural Science and Technology Support Plan Project of Huai’an Municipality (project HAN2014018), and the Social Development Project of Huai’an City (project HAS2013040)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Life Science and Food Engineering School, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223001, Jiangsu, China

    Jun Gao, Xu-qin Ren & Huai Ji

  2. Key Laboratory for Palygorskite Science and Applied Technology of Jiangsu Province, Huai’an, 223003, Jiangsu, China

    Jun Gao & Xu-qin Ren

  3. Faculty of Ideological and Political Theory, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223003, Jiangsu, China

    Yi-ying Shi

  4. Huaian Wanbang Aromatic Chemicals Industry Co., Ltd., Huai’an, Jiangsu, 223300, China

    Hai-feng Zhou

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  1. Jun Gao
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  2. Yi-ying Shi
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  3. Hai-feng Zhou
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  4. Xu-qin Ren
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  5. Huai Ji
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Correspondence to Jun Gao.

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Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

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Gao, J., Shi, Yy., Zhou, Hf. et al. Application of modified attapulgite in phthalate acid ester-contaminated soil: Effects on phthalate acid ester dissipation and the composition of soil microbial community. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 15175–15182 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6663-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6663-8

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