Persistence of immobilised and total urease and phosphatase activities in a soil amended with organic wastes

This paper reports on the persistence of total and immobilised enzyme activities (urease and phosphatase) in a soil amended with organic wastes containing high levels of total-urease and phosphatase activity. Fresh organic materials showed the highest values for both total-enzymatic activities. The addition of organic waste to soil increased both total-enzymatic activities in the soil, which, after 360 days, showed values above those of the control. Immobilised enzymes were also higher in the fresh wastes than in the soil with compost, while the specific enzymatic activity levels (enzymatic activity per unit of carbon) were similar. The immobilised urease activity was greater in the amended soil than in the control. At the beginning of the incubation period, the immobilised urease activity was significantly higher in the soil amended with fresh organic wastes than with compost. However, this activity decreased with incubation, whilst the compost-immobilised urease activity increased with time. The effect of organic amendment on immobilised phosphatase activity was similar to that shown by immobilised urease but less pronounced. The persistence of both enzymes was significantly higher in the soil amended with compost than in that amended with fresh materials.