Effect of interactions between nickel and other heavy metals on the soil microbiological properties

A pot greenhouse experiment with oat plants was performed to determine the effect of contamination with Ni interacting with other heavy metals on the microbiological properties of soil. The study was conducted on samples of soils classified under natural conditions as typical Eutric Cambisol developed from heavy loamy sand and typical Eutric Cambisol developed from light silty loam. Soil material was contaminated with Ni in the amount of 50 and 200 mg Ni2+/kg. The treatments with 200 mg Ni2+/kg were additionally contaminated with other heavy metals (Zn2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr6+), in the amount of 50 mg/kg soil. The following treatments in which the soil was contaminated with heavy metals applied alone or in combinations were compared in the study: Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, NiZn, NiCu, NiPb, NiCd, NiCr, NiZnCu, NiZnPb, NiZnCd, NiZnCr, NiZnCuPb, NiZnCuCd, NiZnCuCr, NiZnCuPbCd, NiZnCuPbCr, NiZnCuPbCdCr. A microbiological analysis was performed on days 28 and 56. The impact of particular heavy metals on microbiological properties of soils depended on their type, interactions between Ni and Zn, Cu, Pb, Ca and Cr, date of analysis and soil species. Soil contamination reduced the population size of Azotobacter spp. The counts of other microbial groups, i.e. copiotrophic bacteria, spore-forming copiotrophic bacteria, oligotrophic bacteria, spore-forming oligotrophic bacteria, ammonifying bacteria, nitrogen immobilizing bacteria, cellulose-decomposing bacteria, Arthrobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., actinomyces and fungi, showed variable susceptibility to heavy metals.