Laboratory testing of persistent organic pollutants toxicity on soil microbial biomass - application limits, drawbacks and benefits
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| Year of publication | 2005 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Soil toxicity test with indigenous microflora is based on laboratory incubation of well defined natural soil which was spiked with tested chemical at the beginning of the test. Changes in microbial biomass, its respiration and nitrogen mineralization are recorded as effect endpoints. This method is well standardized under OECD, US EPA and SETAC guidelines for testing chemicals and pesticides. In our study, selected persistent organic pollutants were tested to identify the applicability of the tests for POPs effects routine testing. Selected POPs were: toxaphene (pesticide), short chain chlorinated paraffin (industrial chemical), and four aza-PAHs (industrial by-product). Microbial biomas Cbio, basal respiration (BR), substrate induced respiration (SIR), and BIOLOG functional diversity were measured as endpoints after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of exposure. The most sensitive parameter was substrate induced respiration. Several principal problems were found for FE method for measuring microbial biomass Cbio due to high carbon amount in POPs. Despite all these practical disadvantages, microbial biomass parameters are crucial ecosystem indicators and their information value requires to be considered during POPs ecotoxicity evaluation. |
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