Microbial role in immobilization and subsequent mobilization of cadmium in soil suspensions

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5245784

Chanmugathas, P

Samples of four soil types were suspended in growth media amended with cadmium nitrate (20 mg/L) and incubated aerobically or anaerobically at 28 +/- 1/sup 0/C. At various time intervals, aliquots were withdrawn, and Cd concentrations (total and free Cd/sup 2 +/) and pH were determined in the supernatant. The results of the short- and long-term studies indicated that in all soils tested the extent of Cd disappearance in non-sterile soil supernatants was significantly greater than in the corresponding sterile controls. However, during the subsequent long-term 8-week aerobic incubation, a significant amount of Cd was released into solution of non-sterile suspensions, while no increase in Cd concentration was observed in the sterile suspensions. Under anaerobic conditions, a continued disappearance of Cd from the non-sterile soil supernatants was observed during a incubation period of up to 24 weeks. Under aerobic conditions, the pH of the non-sterile soil suspensions decreased to approximately pH 5.5, while the pH remained approximately 8.0 during anaerobic incubation. The rate and degree of Cd immobilization or mobilization was also dependent on the soil types used.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5245784
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BIODEGRADATION
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
PH VALUE
SOILS