Researchers of Granada University (Spain) have studied the influence of linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) on the bacterial diversity of an agricultural soil

A study carried out by Mª del Mar Sánchez Peinado, Ph.D. and conducted by Mª Victoria Martínez-Toledo, Mª Belén Rodelas González and Clementina Pozo Llorente, researchers of the Institute of Water Research and the Department of Microbiology (University of Granada, Spain), has focused on the effect of this compound on the microbial composition and biological activity (enzymatic activities) of soil samples. They used soil microcosms artificially polluted with several concentrations of LAS. This work was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC), as part of Project Reference PPQ2003-07978-V02-02 (Programa Nacional de I+D).

The higher concentrations of LAS were found in the upper fraction of spiked soil microcosm’s layer and this fact was positively correlated with the culturable heterotrophic bacterial counts. The structures of soil bacterial communities were analyzed by an independent cultivation method based on TGGE separation of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments.

The study did not show negative effects on soil bacterial communities and soil enzymes, and degradation of LAS was recorded in the soil microcosms, parallel to changes of the composition of the bacterial communities in soil. These changes of bacterial biodiversity are likely linked to the enhancement of LAS degrading populations in the treated soil.

Reference
Mª del Mar Sánchez Peinado, Ph D. Institute of Water
Universidad de Granada.
Phone: 656897204.
Email.: mpeinado@ugr.es