title: Effects of mercury on microbial biomass and enzyme activities in soil.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) is a persistent soil pollutant that affects soil microbial activity. We monitored the changes in soil microbial biomass and activity of enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolytic activity, and o-diphenol oxidase (o-DPO) in three soils contaminated with different concentrations of Hg. Increasing levels of Hg, from 0.5 to 10 micromol/g of dried soil, generally depressed microbial activity; however, the effects of Hg on soil microbial activity depended on soil type and composition, particularly organic matter content. o-DPO was less affected by Hg than the other three enzymes tested. Our results indicate that the analysis of microbial biomass content and soil-enzyme activities may be used to predict the soil quality contaminated with Hg.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casucci
authors.forename: Benedict C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Frankenberger
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001192:Arylsulfatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism; D006868:Hydrolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008628:Mercury / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D004156:Catechol Oxidase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001192:Arylsulfatases; D008628:Mercury; C018506:diacetylfluorescein