土壤矿物与微生物相互作用的机理及其环境效应

土壤矿物与微生物相互作用是地球表层系统中重要的生态过程.微生物或生物分子与矿物间的吸附(粘附)是两者相互作用的基础.吸附(粘附)是一个由分子间力、静电力、疏水作用力、氢键和空间位阻效应等多种作用力或作用因素共同决定、影响的物理化学过程.因此,微生物和矿物的表面性质如表面电荷、疏水性和它们所处的环境条件如pH、电解质浓度、温度等,都影响着矿物-微生物吸附(粘附)过程.微生物细胞或酶可吸附于矿物表面,其结果是细胞代谢或酶活性会发生明显变化,并进一步影响土壤中诸多相关的生态、环境过程.结合4种典型的初始吸附理论:表面自由能热力学理论、DLVO理论、吸附等温线理论和表面复合物理论及本课题组近年来的研究成果,对土壤矿物与微生物相互作用的类型、机理、作用力和现代研究技术等方面的最新研究进展进行了较为全面的论述,对土壤矿物-微生物相互作用的环境效应进行了讨论,并就该领域今后研究工作的特点及应关注的问题进行了展望.     

Destruction of hexamethylenediamine by a Bacillus subtilis culture in a medium with clay minerals

The object of this work was to study the effect of clay minerals of the montmorillonite group on the oxidative and destructive activity of Bacillus subtilis 21/3 utilizing hexamethylene diamine (HMD) in metabolic processes. HMD destruction by the culture accelerated when clay minerals were added to the chemically defined medium. The respiration activity of Bac. subtilis 21/3 was studied, and the rate of HMD oxidation was found to increase in the presence of montmorillonite.     

Insecticidal Activity of the Toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki and tenebrionis Adsorbed and Bound on Pure and Soil Clays

The release of transgenic plants and microorganisms expressing truncated genes from various subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis that encode active insecticidal toxins rather than inactive protoxins could result in the accumulation of these active proteins in soil, especially when bound on clays and other soil particles. Toxins from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis, either free or adsorbed at equilibrium or bound on pure clay minerals (montmorillonite or kaolinite) or on the clay size fraction of soil, were toxic to larvae of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), respectively. The 50% lethal concentrations (LC(inf50)) of free toxins from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki were higher than those of both bound and adsorbed complexes of these toxins with clays, indicating that adsorption and binding of these toxins on clays increase their toxicity in diet bioassays. The LC(inf50) of the toxin from B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis that was either free or adsorbed on montmorillonite were comparable, whereas the toxin bound on this clay had higher LC(inf50) and the toxin bound on kaolinite had lower LC(inf50) than when adsorbed on this clay. Results obtained with the clay size fraction separated from unamended soil or soil amended with montmorillonite or kaolinite were similar to those obtained with the respective pure clay minerals. Therefore, insecticidal activity of these toxins is retained and sometimes enhanced by adsorption and binding on clays.     

Dot Blot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Monitoring the Fate of Insecticidal Toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis in Soil

The release of transgenic plants and microorganisms expressing truncated genes from Bacillus thuringiensis that code for active insecticidal toxins rather than for the inactive protoxins could result in the accumulation of these active proteins in soil, especially when bound on clay minerals and other soil particles. To monitor the fate of these toxins in soil, a dot blot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that detects free and particle-bound toxins from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and subsp. tenebrionis was developed. The lower limit of detection of the toxins, either free or adsorbed or bound on the clay minerals montmorillonite (M) or kaolinite (K) or on the clay-particle-size fraction separated from soil (by sedimentation according to Stokes' Law), was approximately 3 ng. Antibodies (Ab) to the toxins from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and from B. thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis were raised in goats and rabbits, respectively, and each Ab was rendered specific by adsorption onto CNBr-activated Sepharose coupled with the other toxin. The preadsorbed Ab were specific for the toxins from both subspecies, both free and bound on M, K, or the clay-particle-size fraction of soil. The toxins that were added to sterile and nonsterile soil amended with M or K or not amended were detected on the clay-particle-size fraction of the soil after various periods of incubation by the dot blot ELISA. No toxins were detected on the silt- and sand-particle-size fractions. Each dot blot, containing various amounts of toxins and/or clays, was applied to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane in a dot blot vacuum system. The toxins were still detectable on the clay-particle-size fraction of nonsterile soil after 40 days. This agreed with preliminary results of other studies in this laboratory that when these toxins bind on clay minerals, they become resistant to utilization by microorganisms.     

Potential use of organomineral complex (OMC) for bioremediation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in soil

Adsorption/desorption characteristics for the organic pollutant pentachlorophenol (PCP) were determined for the organomineral complex (OMC) prepared in the laboratory with clay mineral (zeolite–clinoptilolite) and organic matter (humic acids), both natural products with excellent sorption properties. Sorption experiments were carried out in three characterized soil samples, Calcaro-haplic Chernozem, Gleyic Fluvisol, and Arenic Regosol. The results of this study indicate that OMC has better retention abilities than the clay minerals alone. Higher amounts of humic acids (HAs), bound to zeolite, enhance its potential to adsorb and retain PCP. An OMC containing approx. 5 mg HA g⁻¹ of zeolite possessed the best retention ability for PCP and presented an optimal economic solution from the preparation point of view. Then biodegradation of PCP was studied in the same types of sterilized soils bioaugmented with the bacterial isolate Comamonas testosteroni CCM 7350, with and without the addition of OMC. The immobilization effect of OMC in relation to PCP depends on the concentration of PCP and the content of organic carbon in the soil. The activity of the microorganisms and the effect of acid rain led to the gradual release and biodegradation of the irreversibly bound PCP, without any initial toxic effect on indigenous or bioaugmented microorganisms. OMC appeared to be a good adsorbant for PCP, with potential application in remediation technology. Fast and effective adsorption and low desorption may serve as a pretreatment step for bioremediation technology for reducing PCP content in soil and thus for reducing its potential toxicity, reducing bioavailability, and in this way facilitating biodegradation.     

Responses of rice and winter wheat to free-air CO2 enrichment (China FACE) at rice/wheat rotation system

Potassium (K) availability influences many processes in cultivated and natural ecosystems. Several studies suggest that “non-exchangeable” K⁺ ions fixed in 2:1 clay mineral interlayers contribute to plant nutrition. Although depletion of these K⁺ ions could be observed by X-ray diffractometry, this technique has never been considered for the observation of short-term changes in illitic 2:1 clay minerals. We established in this study that new treatments of X-ray diffraction patterns allow quantification of short-term 2:1 clay mineral changes through K addition in solution and removal of interlayer K by Lolium multiflorum. Moreover, we obtained a significant relationship (r ² = 0.95, P < 0.0001) between an indicator calculated from X-ray diffraction patterns and analyzed clay K content. X-ray diffraction should therefore be considered as an appropriate tool to follow qualitatively and quantitatively clay mineral modifications induced by soil K balance. Our results suggest that 2:1 clay minerals behave as a huge, renewable K reservoir whose theoretical capacity in fertile soils could exceed 3 t/ha. Beyond obvious agronomical implications, this new vision of soil K cycle raises ecological questions about plant inter specific competition and soil fertility. Finally, our study clearly shows that soil 2:1 clay minerals could react as quickly as a biological system.     

Biogenic Catalysis of Soil Formation on Mars?

The high iron abundance and the weak ferric iron spectral features of martian surface material are consistent with nanophase (nm-sized) iron oxide minerals as a major source of iron in the bright region soil on Mars. Nanophase iron oxide minerals, such as ferrihydrite and schwertmannite, and nanophase forms of hematite and goethite are formed by both biotic and abiotic processes on Earth. The presence of these minerals on Mars does not indicate biological activity on Mars, but it does raise the possibility. This work includes speculation regarding the possibility of biogenic soils on Mars based on previous observations and analyses. A remote sensing goal of upcoming missions should be to determine if nanophase iron oxide minerals, clay silicates and carbonates are present in the martian surface material. These minerals are important indicators for exobiology and their presence on Mars would invoke a need for further investigation and sample return from these sites.     

Transformation of clay minerals caused by an alkaliphilic cyanobacterial community

Transformation of clay minerals (smectite-zeolite, illite, kaolinite, and bentonite) and admixtures of iron oxides (hydroxides) under the action of an alkaline cyanobacterial community was studied. The results demonstrate that the processes of transformation of clay minerals such as intensification of removal of exchange bases and dissolution of silicates and iron oxides occurred in the presence of the alkaliphilic cyanobacterial community. The main factor that determines resistance of a mineral to biochemical weathering is its composition. Transformations of clay minerals in the course of active cyanobacterial photosynthesis (up to 14 days) and at decomposition of organic matter (OM) (28–60 days) are different. For smectite-zeolite and illite, these processes are dissolution of silicates and oxides (removal of Si and Fe) and removal of exchange bases (K), which were observed at both the of biomass production and OM destruction stages. For two other clays, the processes of neosynthesis are more typical: formation of carbonates (most probably siderite for bentonite clay and Mg-calcite for kaolin clay) and transformation of ferrihydrite into the more thermodynamically stable goethite.     

Effects of plants and microorganisms in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment

Constructed wetlands are a natural alternative to technical methods of wastewater treatment. However, our understanding of the complex processes caused by the plants, microorganisms, soil matrix and substances in the wastewater, and how they all interact with each other, is still rather incomplete. In this article, a closer look will be taken at the mechanisms of both plants in constructed wetlands and the microorganisms in the root zone which come into play when they remove contaminants from wastewater. The supply of oxygen plays a crucial role in the activity and type of metabolism performed by microorganisms in the root zone. Plants' involvement in the input of oxygen into the root zone, in the uptake of nutrients and in the direct degradation of pollutants as well as the role of microorganisms are all examined in more detail. The ways in which these processes act to treat wastewater are dealt with in the following order: Technological aspects; The effect of root growth on the soil matrix; Gas transport in helophytes and the release of oxygen into the rhizosphere; The uptake of inorganic compounds by plants; The uptake of organic pollutants by plants and their metabolism; The release of carbon compounds by plants; Factors affecting the elimination of pathogenic germs.     

The effect of parent material and soil development on nutrient cycling in temperate ecosystems

The parent material of a soil determines the original supply of those nutrient elements that are released by weathering and influences the balance between nutrient loss and retention. Organic acids and exudates produced by microorganisms and plants enhance the weathering of minerals and the release of nutrients. Nutrients may be stored in organic cycles or as ions adsorbed to clay and organic matter. Nutrients are lost mainly by leaching, both as dissolved ions and when associated with soluble organic components. Soil formation evidently affects these processes and modifies the environment at different depths as soil horizons develop. Strong interactions between mineral and organic colloids occur where most residues are added below ground, as in grasslands, or mixed with mineral soil by faunal activity, as in some forests. These systems tend to be nutrient conserving. The addition of organic residues to the soil surface often results in slow decomposition, the tie-up of many nutrients in biologically resistant humic materials, and the generation of organic acids that are active in leaching and chelation. These soils tend to lose nutrients by leaching and become strongly acidic with time. Leaching is strongest in uplands with net downward flows to deep water tables, and may be dampened or obviated in lowlands with strong upward fluxes due to artesian pressure or capillary rise from a water table that is close to the surface. Pedogenic features such as clayeyB horizons or duripans may alter water flow. Simonson's concepts that all basic soil-forming processes occur to some degree in all soils are critical to developing models describing soil formation and nutrient cycles.     

Transmission Electron Microscopic Observation of Mercury-Bearing Bacterial Clay Minerals in a Small-Scale Gold Mine in Tanzania

Mercury is a toxic substance that is widely distributed throughout the hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. Mine waste environments and mine waters support a wide diversity of microbial life. The microbial ecology of environments where mine waters are polluted with heavy metals is poorly understood. Here, we describe the features of bacteria in mercury-contaminated gold panning ponds in a small-scale gold mine (Geita) near Lake Victoria, Tanzania using energy filtering transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX). Most bacteria in the panning pond showed thick exopolysaccharides (EPSs), and many clay minerals attached onto the surface of EPSs. The clay minerals and EPSs might act as protective layers for the bacteria against toxic materials. The clay minerals were composed of smectite, halloysite, and kaolinite associated with calcite and goethite. Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the bulk soil samples contained abundant Si, Al, K, Ca, and Fe with heavy metals such as Au, Ti, and Ag. The results indicate that Hg pollution from panning ponds is caused by not only volatilization of Hg from Au-Hg amalgams, but Hg is also released into the air as dust mixed with dry fine clays, suggesting high long-term environmental risks. Mercury-resistant bacteria associated with clay minerals may have a significant effect on the weathering processes of the ore during long-term bioremediation. The clay mineral complexes on the surface of bacterial cell walls are a stimulator for Hg-resistant bacterial growth in mud ponds contaminated with the Au-Hg materials.     

荒漠草原区土壤粒径组成对柠条根际土壤微生物数量及酶活性的影响

柠条(Caragana korshinskii)是荒漠草原区主要的造林绿化树种,研究其根际土壤微生物和酶活性与不同土壤类型土壤粒径组成的关系有重要意义,然而土壤粒径对荒漠草原柠条根际土壤微生物数量和酶活性的影响知之甚少,探讨土壤颗粒组分与微生物数量、土壤酶活性之间的关系,以及土壤颗粒组成对荒漠草原区固沙灌木植物柠条根际土壤微生物数量及酶活性的影响,可为揭示荒漠草原土壤退化及生态修复提供参考。以宁夏荒漠草原区土壤粒径组成差异显著的灰钙土、红黏土、风沙土环境下栽植的柠条为研究对象,研究不同土壤颗粒组成对根际土壤微生物数量及酶活性的相互关系与影响。结果表明:土壤微生物的数量表现为细菌放线菌真菌。根际土壤中的细菌、真菌数量显著高于非根际,且在3种不同类型的土壤中随着细砂粒的增多,真菌和放线菌数量逐渐降低,而细菌数量呈先增大后减小的趋势;根际与非根际土壤的蔗糖酶、碱性磷酸酶及过氧化氢酶活性均呈现出灰钙土红黏土风沙土的趋势,红黏土根际土壤中的脲酶活性显著高于灰钙土与风沙土;除过氧化氢酶外,土壤酶活性表现为根际高于非根际,在3种不同类型的土壤中随着细砂含量的增加,土壤酶活性均呈递减趋势。土壤颗粒组成与微生物数量之间没有明显的相关性,而与土壤酶活性之间显著相关,土壤酶活性与黏粒、粉粒呈正相关,与细砂、中砂呈负相关关系,根际土壤中酶活性更高,能够为植物及微生物提供更多的营养。     

Microbial activity of soil contaminated with chlorinated phenol derivatives

Chlorinated phenol derivatives were found to display an effect on soil microorganisms and their physiological and biochemical activity—nitrification, ammonization of proteins, total metabolic activity detected by the production of CO₂, and total cellulolytic activity. The effect of chlorinated phenol derivatives increases with the degree of chlorination.     

Growth of iron(III)-reducing bacteria on clay minerals as the sole electron acceptor and comparison of growth yields on a variety of oxidized iron forms

Smectite clay minerals are abundant in soils and sediments worldwide and are typically rich in Fe. While recent investigations have shown that the structural Fe(III) bound in clay minerals is reduced by microorganisms, previous studies have not tested growth with clay minerals as the sole electron acceptor. Here we have demonstrated that a pure culture of Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 as well as enrichment cultures of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria from rice paddy soil and subsurface sediments are capable of conserving energy for growth with the structural Fe(III) bound in smectite clay as the sole electron acceptor. Pure cultures of S. oneidensis were used for more detailed growth rate and yield experiments on various solid- and soluble-phase electron acceptors [smectite, Fe(III) oxyhydroxide FeOOH, Fe(III) citrate, and oxygen] in the same minimal medium. Growth was assessed as direct cell counts or as an increase in cell carbon (measured as particulate organic carbon). Cell counts showed that similar growth of S. oneidensis (10(8) cells ml(-1)) occurred with smectitic Fe(III) and on other Fe forms [amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide, and Fe citrate] or oxygen as the electron acceptor. In contrast, cell yields of S. oneidensis measured as the increase in cell carbon were similar on all Fe forms tested while yields on oxygen were five times higher, in agreement with thermodynamic predictions. Over a range of particle loadings (0.5 to 4 g liter(-1)), the increase in cell number was highly correlated to the amount of structural Fe in smectite reduced. From phylogenetic analysis of the complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, a predominance of clones retrieved from the clay mineral-reducing enrichment cultures were most closely related to the low-G+C gram-positive members of the Bacteria (Clostridium and Desulfitobacterium) and the delta-Proteobacteria (members of the Geobacteraceae). Results indicate that growth with smectitic Fe(III) is similar in magnitude to that with Fe(III) oxide minerals and is dependent upon the mineral surface area available. Iron(III) bound in clay minerals should be considered an important electron acceptor supporting the growth of bacteria in soils or sedimentary environments.     

Clay minerals as a soil potassium reservoir: observation and quantification through X-ray diffraction

Potassium (K) is a major element for plant growth. The K⁺ ions fixed in soil 2:1 clay mineral interlayers contribute to plant K nutrition. Such clay minerals are most often the majority in temperate soils. Field and laboratory observations based on X-ray diffraction techniques suggest that 2:1 clay minerals behave as a K reservoir. The present work investigated this idea through data from a replicated long term fertilization experiment which allowed one to address the following questions: (1) Do fertilization treatments induce some modifications (as seen from X-ray diffraction measurements) on soil 2:1 clay mineralogy? (2) Are soil 2:1 clay mineral modifications related to soil K budget in the different plots? (3) Do fertilizer treatments modify clay Al, Si, Mg, Fe or K elemental content? (4) Are clay mineral modifications related to clay K content modifications? (5) Are clay mineral changes related to clay Al, Si, Mg or Fe content as well as those of K content? Our results showed that K fertilization treatments considered in the context of soil K budget are very significantly related to 2:1 soil clay mineralogy and clay K content. The 2:1 clay mineral modifications observed through X-ray measurements were quantitatively correlated with chemically analyzed clay K content. Clay K content modifications are independent from clay Al, Si, Mg or Fe contents. These results show that the soil chemical environment can modify interlayer site occupations (illite content) which suggests that high level accumulation of potassium can occur without any modification of the clay sheet structure. This study therefore validates the view of 2:1 clay minerals as a K reservoir easily quantifiable through X-ray observations.     

Effect of Fine-Grain Percent on Soil Strength Properties Improved By Biological Method

In many civil engineering projects, the foundation soils do not provide the required mechanical properties and therefore, there is a need to improve the soil. Compaction, soil reinforcement, soil mixing with natural, or chemical additives are common soil stabilization methods used to improve the soil mechanical properties. The incidence of some environmental problems in traditional improvement techniques has encouraged engineers to explore new methods. Recently in this category, a new technique in geotechnical engineering called biogeotechnology is introduced to improve the mechanical properties of the soil. It is an environmentally friendly approach that uses biological methods to solve geotechnical problems. This technique uses minerals producer microorganisms. This study investigates the possibility of improving soil strength properties with microbial calcite precipitation and the effect of fine-grained percentages in this regard. In order to determine the soil strength properties, consolidated drained direct shear tests have been carried on untreated and treated soil samples. The results showed that this method is applicable to improve all soil samples (from 100% coarse-grained (i.e., sand) to 100% fine-grained (i.e., clay)). However, increasing the strength in the sand is much more enhanced than that for finer soils. It was found that a considerable increase in cohesion of treated soil can be achieved for soil samples with maximum 10% fine content.     

Effects of Temperature,pH and Salt Concentrations on the Adsorption of Bacillus subtilis on Soil Clay Minerals Investigated by Microcalorimetry

Adsorption of microorganisms on minerals is a ubiquitous interfacial phenomenon in soil. Knowledge of the extent and mechanisms of bacterial adsorption on minerals is of great agronomic and environmental importance. This study examined adsorption of Bacillus subtilis on three common minerals in soils such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and goethite under various environmental conditions. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to investigate the effects of temperature (20, 30, and 40°C), pH (5.0, 7.0, and 9.0) and KNO₃ concentration (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 mol L^?1) on the adsorption by direct measurement of enthalpies. The results revealed that the adsorption process in all the mineral systems were exothermic, with the enthalpy changes (ΔH_ads ) ranging from ?52 to ?137, ?33 to ?147, and ?53 to ?141 kJ kg^?1 (dry weight of adsorbed bacteria) for kaolinite, montmorillonite, and goethite, respectively. No obvious dependence of ΔH_ads on temperature was observed. The heat release for all the systems generally declined with pH and decrease of salt concentration, which can be explained by the variations of hydrophobicity and electrostatic force with pH or salt concentration. The largest decrease was found for goethite among the three minerals from pH 5.0 to 7.0, suggesting that electrostatic attraction may play a more important role in bacterial adsorption on this mineral. The ΔH_ads values for all the minerals became nearly the same at pH 9.0, indicating that the same force probably hydrophobicity governing the adsorption for the minerals in alkaline environment. It is assumed that acidic or saline soils and the associated environments favor the adsorption of B. subtilis on clay minerals. In addition, the negative enthalpies expressed as kJ kg^?1 (carbon) revealed an energy flow into the environment accompanied by the carbon adsorption on the minerals in soil.     

异裂菊属根际微生物群落结构及功能多样性

异裂菊属是广西喀斯特石山区典型的特有属,根际微生物是其能否有效吸收、有效利用土壤养分和适应石山恶劣土壤环境的最直接表征之一。该研究采用DGGE和Biolog两种方法对异裂菊属植物根际和非根际微生物多样性进行了研究。结果表明:(1)异裂菊属5个种根际pH、碱解氮等9个养分含量都高于非根际。(2)5个种的根际、非根际存在2个共有细菌类群,但在数量上存在差异,3个种的根际条带小于非根际;5个种的根际、非根际微生物群落较为相似,较易聚在一起。(3)绢叶异裂菊根际微生物对碳源利用能力最强,凹脉异裂菊非根际最弱,其他对碳源的利用能力较接近;异裂菊属种根际微生物利用碳源的能力都高于非根际,根际微生物多样性指数均高于非根际,优势度指数与非根际基本相同或略高于非根际,丰富度和均匀度指数与优势度指数规律相似;异裂菊属根际、非根际微生物利用的碳源主要是糖类、羧酸类和氨基酸类化合物,4个种根际微生物利用碳源的能力高于非根际。(4)阳离子交换量、黏粒含量百分率和碱解氮是影响异裂菊属根际微生物碳源利用模式的最重要因子。总体来说,土壤理化性质对异裂菊属植物根际微生物群落多样性具有重要影响,异裂菊属通过分泌羧酸、糖等多类化合物提高了根际微生物的活性,进而有效地提高了根际肥力水平。     

Distribution and activity of microorganisms in subsurface sediments of a pristine study site in Oklahoma

Distribution and activity of microorganisms in surface soil and subsurface sediments were studied in depth profiles of six different microbial biomass and activity indicators (total direct counts, number of cells capable of electron transport system activity, viable cell plate counts, most Probable numbers of protozoa, and 4-hydroxybenzoate-degrading microorganisms, and ATP content). The profiles showed the same general trends on two different dates (January and June 1985). Seasonal variations were noted, but they were not extreme. Biomass and activity values declined sharply with depth in the unsaturated zone, reaching minima in a clay confining layer in the interface zone between 3 and 4 m. Contiguous 10-cm samples from the interface zone showed significant textural and microbiological variability. Higher and more stable biomass and activity values were detected in the saturated zone, the highest being a very permeable gravelly loamy sand layer at approximately 7.5 m. In this layer, viable counts were nearly equal to total counts and they approached the viable counts in surface soil. Surface-type protozoa and cyanobacteria also were detected in this layer, suggesting that it was connected hydrologically to a nearby river. Lowest values were detected in an underlying bedrock clay layer at 8 m, which, despite its impermeability and low viable counts, did contain measurable total counts, 4-hydroxybenzoate-degrading microorganisms, and ATP. Correlations were noted between sediment texture and microbial activity (i.e., sandy texture=high activity, clayey texture=low activity), but other hydrogeological and geochemical factors probably also influenced microbial distribution and activity in the profile.     

Effects of ammonium concentration on Cs-137 fixation rate in soil suspensions

Collapse of interlayer spaces of soil clay minerals can by caused by ammonium cation in concentrations as low as 10(-3) mol/l. The collapse leads to substantial decrease in the soil ability to fix 137Cs. This effect is reversible and the soil fixation ability recovers after the ammonium concentration decrease.