Ecotoxicological assessment of nickel pollution of soil and water environments adjacent to soddy–podzolic soil

Abstract

The indicators of functioning of soil microorganisms in soddy–podzolic soil contaminated with Ni compounds show different ranges of soil ecotoxicity. A halving of soil microorganisms' nitrogen-fixing activity has been shown in slightly acidic soddy–podzolic cultivated soil with a Ni concentration of 150 mg/kg and for noncultivated acidic soils with a Ni concentration 100 mg/kg. The reduction of denitrification activity in cultivated soil has been observed with a Ni concentration of 500 mg/kg, and in uncultivated soil it has been observed at a Ni dose of 100 mg/kg. The inhibition of soil respiration in slightly acidic soil occurred only at the highest dose of Ni, 1000 mg/kg, while in the acidic soil it took place at 300 mg/kg. Biotesting based on bacterial luminescence can be used for determination of soil pollution with heavy metals such as Ni, as well as for the assessment of the toxicity of aqueous environments in contact with contaminated soils.