title: The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on soil microbial activity.
abstract: Nanomaterials such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are applied to various industrial products and thus may be released to soils, but their potential environmental impacts remain largely undetermined. We investigated the short-term effect of MWCNTs on the activity and biomass of microorganisms inhabiting two different soil types in an incubation study. Up to 5000 μg MWCNT g(-1) soil was applied and the activities of 1,4-β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, xylosidase, 1,4-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and phosphatase and microbial biomass were measured. In both soil types, most enzyme activities showed a tendency to be repressed under 500 μg MWCNT g(-1) soil, and all enzymatic activities as well as microbial biomass C and N were significantly lowered under 5000 μg MWCNT g(-1) soil. Our results suggest that high concentrations of MWCNTs could lower the microbial activity and biomass in soils, and they may serve as an important guideline in regulating the release of MWCNTs to the soil environment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-713, Republic of Korea. hchung@korea.ac.kr
authors.forename: Haegeun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Yowhan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Tae Kyung
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Seungwook
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002244:Carbon; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase