Soil microbial responses to simultaneous contamination of antimony and arsenic in the surrounding area of an abandoned antimony smelter in Southwest China. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gong, Yiwei; Yang, Shuwen; Chen, Shaoyang; Zhao, Shoudao; Ai, Yadi; Huang, Di; Yang, Kai; Cheng, Hongguang
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 174(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: Mining and smelting -- Contaminated site -- Heavy metals -- Soil microorganisms -- Ecological risk assessment -- Archaea; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107897
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Distribution of microbial traits was characterized in Sb smelter-affected soils. Much greater ecological risk of Sb and As present at the soil depth of 0–2 cm. Responses to soil Sb and As co-contamination: archaea > bacteria > fungi. Archaea holds promise for bioremediation of Sb smelter-contaminated soil. Abstract: Soil contamination with heavy metal(loid)s may influence microbial activities in the soil, and consequently jeopardize soil health. Microbial responses to soil contamination play an important role in ecological risk assessment. This study investigated the effect of heavy metal(loid)s contamination on microbial community structure and abundance in the surrounding soil of an abandoned antimony (Sb) smelter in Qinglong county, Guizhou province, Southwest China. A total of 46 soil samples were collected from ten sampling sites (labelled as A–I, and CK) across the study area at depths of 0–2, 2–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, and 40–50 cm. The soil samples were analyzed for total and bioavailable heavy metal(loid) concentrations, bacterial, fungal, and archaeal community structures, diversities, and functions, together with soil basic physicochemical properties. Much greater ecological risk of Sb and arsenic (As) was present in the surface soil (0–2 cm) compared to that in the subsoils. The activities of dominant microorganisms tended to be associated with soil pH and heavy metal(loid)s (i.e., Sb, As, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr)). Bacteria associated with IMCC26256, Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales, and Gaiellales, and archaea associated with Methanocellales were estimated to be tolerant to high concentrations of Sb and As in the soil. In addition, the magnitude of soil microbial responses to Sb and As contamination was in the order of archaea > bacteria > fungi. In contrast to the negligible response of fungi and negative response of bacteria to Sb and As contamination, there was a strongly positive correlation between archaeal activity and total Sb and As concentrations in the soil. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the remediation of Sb smelter-affected soil.