Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Changes of lead speciation and microbial toxicity in soil treated with repeated Pb exposure in the presence of BDE209

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lead (Pb) and decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) are main pollutants at electric waste (e-waste) recycling sites (EWRSs), and their joint toxicological effects have received extensive attention. Frequently, soil pollution at EWRSs usually results from the occurrence of repeated single or multiple pollution events, with continuous impacts on soil microorganisms. Therefore, a laboratory incubation study was conducted to determine Pb bioavailability and microbial toxicity in repeated Pb-polluted soil in the presence of BDE209 for the first time. We evaluated the impacts of repetitive exposure trials on chemical fractions of Pb, and the results showed that repeated single Pb pollution event resulted in an increase of carbonates fraction of Pb, which was different from one-off single Pb exposure. Moreover, one-off Pb-treated groups exhibited higher I R (reduced partition index) values on day 30 and all treatments remained the same I R level at the end of incubation period. The parameters of microbial toxicity were well reflected by soil enzymes. During the entire incubation, the dehydrogenase and urease activities were significantly inhibited by Pb (P < 0.01), and BDE209 supply could weaken the adverse influence. Additionally, significant correlations between available or metastable Pb and the two soil enzymes were clearly observed (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Such observations would provide useful information for ecological effects of Pb and BDE209 at EWRSs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahnstrom ZS, Parker DR (1999) Development and assessment of a sequential extraction procedure for the fractionation of soil cadmium. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:1650–1658

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burges A, Epelde L, Garbisu C (2015) Impact of repeated single-metal and multi-metal pollution events on soil quality. Chemosphere 120:8–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan JKY, Xing GH, Xu Y, Liang Y, Chen LX, Wu SC, Weng CKC, Leung CKM, Wong MH (2007) Body Loadings and health risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans at an intensive electronic waste recycling site in China. Environ Sci Technol 41:7668–7674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ettler V, Vaněk A, Mihaljevič M, Bezdička P (2005) Contrasting lead speciation in forest and tilled soils heavily polluted by lead metallurgy. Chemosphere 58:1449–1459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao Y, Zhou P, Mao L, Zhi Y, Zhang C, Shi W (2010) Effects of plant species coexistence on soil enzyme activities and soil microbial community structure under Cd and Pb combined pollution. J Environ Sci 22:1040–1048

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han FX, Banin A (1997) Long-term transformations and redistribution of potentially toxic heavy metals in arid-zone soils incubated: I. Under saturated conditions. Water Air Soil Pollut 95:399–423

    Google Scholar 

  • Han FX, Su Y, Sridhar BBM, Monts DL (2004) Distribution, transformation and bioavailability of trivalent and hexavalent chromium in contaminated soil. Plant Soil 265:243–252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu B, Liang DL, Liu JJ, Lei LM, Yu DS (2014) Transformation of heavy metal fractions on soil urease and nitrate reductase activities in copper and selenium co-contaminated soil. Ecotox Environ Saf 110:41–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan S, Hesham AEL, Qiao M, Rehman S, He JZ (2010) Effects of Cd and Pb on soil microbial community structure and activities. Environ Sci Pollut Res 17:288–296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Zhu W, Xiao L, Yang LY (2011) Effect of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE15) on soil microbial activity and bacterial community composition. J Hazard Mater 186:883–890

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo Y, Luo XJ, Lin Z, Chen SJ, Liu J, Mai BX, Yang ZY (2009) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in road and farmland soils from an e-waste recycling region in Southern China: Concentrations, source profiles, and potential dispersion and deposition. Sci Total Environ 407:1105–1113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo CL, Liu CP, Wang Y, Liu X, Li FB, Zhang G, Li XD (2011) Heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables near an e-waste processing site, south China. J Hazard Mater 186:481–490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lv ZM, Min H, Ye YF (2004) Short-term influences of herbicide quinclorac on enzyme activities in flooded paddy soil. Pedosphere 14:71–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Margesin R, Walder G, Schinner F (2000a) The impact of hydrocarbon remediation (diesel oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) on enzyme activities and microbial properties of soil. Acta Biotechnol 20:313–333

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Margesin R, Zimmerbauer A, Schinner F (2000b) Monitoring of bioremediation by soil biological activities. Chemosphere 40:339–346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • May PB, Douglas LA (1976) Assay for soil urease activity. Plant Soil 45:301–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mbila MO, Thompson ML, Mbagwu JSC, Laird DA (2001) Distribution and movement of sludge-derived trace metals in selected Nigerian soils. J Environ Qual 30:1667–1674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt CW (2002) E-Junk explosion. Environ Health Perspect 110:A188–A194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt CW (2006) Unfair trade: e-waste in Africa. Environ Health Perspect 114:A232–A235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen GQ, Lu YT, Zhou QX, Hong JB (2005) Interaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals on soil enzyme. Chemosphere 61:1175–1182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suhadolc M, Schroll R, Gattinger A, Schloter M, Munch JC, Lestan D (2004) Effects of modified Pb-, Zn-, and Cd-availability on the microbial communities and on the degradation of isoproturon in a heavy metal contaminated soil. Soil Biol Biochem 36:1943–1954

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tabatabai MA, Dick WA (2002) Enzymes in soil. In: Burns RG, Dick RP (eds) Enzymes in the environment: activity. Ecology and Applications. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 567–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang C, Sparling GP, McLay CDA, Raphael C (1999) Effect of short-term legume residue decomposition on soil acidity. Aust J Soil Res 37:561–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang XY, Cui YS, Duan J, Tang L (2008) Pilot study of temporal variations in lead bioaccessibility and chemical fractionation in some Chinese soils. J Hazard Mater 160:29–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang XJ, Shen CF, Shi DZ, Cheema SA, Khan MI, Zhang CK, Chen YX (2010) Heavy metal and persistent organic compound contamination in soil from Wenling: an emerging e-waste recycling city in Taizhou area, China. J Hazard Mater 173:653–660

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tessier A, Campbell PGC, Bisson M (1979) Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Anal Chem 51:844–851

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Wu D, Wang N, Hu S (2011) Effect of Chlorophytum comosum growth on soil enzymatic activities of lead-contaminated soil. Procedia Environmental Sciences 10, Part A: 709–714

  • Yang ZX, Liu SQ, Zheng DW, Feng SD (2006) Effects of cadium, zinc and lead on soil enzyme activities. J Environ Sci 18:1135–1141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Zhang M, An S, Xiong B, Li H, Cui CZ, Lin KF (2012) Ecotoxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether and cadmium contamination on soil microbes and enzymes. Ecotox Environ Saf 82:71–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Chen L, An S, Liu K, Lin KF, Zhao L (2014a) Toxic effects of the joint exposure of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) on soil microorganism and enzyme activity. Environ Toxicol Phar 38:586–594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Chen L, Liu K, Chen L, Lin K, Guo J, Liu L, Cui C, Yan Z (2014b) Lead accumulations and toxic effects in earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in the presence of decabromodiphenyl ether. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 21:3484–3490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Chen L, Zhang R, Lin KF (2015a) Effects of decabromodiphenyl ether on lead mobility and microbial toxicity in soil. Chemosphere 122:99–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Li J, Liu K, Lin K (2015b) The behavior and toxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) in a soil–earthworm system. Sci Total Environ 537:377–384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng SN, Zhang MK (2011) Effect of moisture regime on the redistribution of heavy metals in paddy soil. J Environ Sci 23:434–443

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41371467, 41372262), the Shanghai Pujiang Program (15PJD013), and the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (2011CB200904).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Wei Zhang or Rongbing Fu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, R., Zhang, W., Liu, G. et al. Changes of lead speciation and microbial toxicity in soil treated with repeated Pb exposure in the presence of BDE209. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 4621–4628 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5698-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5698-6

Keywords

Navigation