Comparison of soil toxicity estimates using lettuce seeds and soil ciliates

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:367536

Pratt, J R; Bowers, N J ^[1]; Beeson, D; Lewis, M ^[2]

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1. Portland State Univ., OR (United States)
2. S.M. Stoller Corp., Boulder, CO (United States)

Contaminants in soils affect microbes, fungi, animals and plants, yet few tests species are available to assess soil toxicity. Many soil microbes are adapted to grow rapidly after wetting and can be used to assess contaminants in the soil solution. The authors compared the growth of the soil ciliate, Colpoda inflata, to germination and growth of lettuce (Lactuca saliva) seeds exposed to water elutriate from twenty-five soil samples suspected of being toxic. Exposure to full strength elutriate resulted in significant (p < 0.05) reduction in seed germination in 15 of 25 elutriates, five of which produced no germination. Growth (total dry weight) of the seeds that germinated was unaffected. Growth of C. inflata was reduced by more than 70% in 12 of 25 elutriates. All C. inflata were killed following exposure to the same five elutriates that resulted in no seed germination. The ciliate growth test identified three elutriates as toxic that were not identified as toxic by the seed germination test. Conversely, the seed germination test identified seven elutriates as toxic that were not toxic in the ciliate growth test. Stepwise regression using concentrations of nine metals in the soil elutriates indicated that cadmium, copper, and arsenic significantly reduced C. inflata growth (r{sup 2} = 0.77), whereas copper, arsenic, and lead significantly reduced lettuce seed germination (r{sup 2} = 0.61). The plant and microbe models showed different responses, and there was a greater correspondence between elutriate chemistry and ciliate response than in the plant tests.

• OSTI ID: 367536
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ARSENIC
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
CADMIUM
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COPPER
LAND POLLUTION
LEAD
LETTUCE
PROTOZOA
SOILS
TOXICITY