Influence of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contamination on Microalgae and Microbial Activities in a Long-Term Contaminated Soil

Megharaj, M.; Singleton, I.; McClure, N. C.; Naidu, R.

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbons are widespread environmental pollutants. Although biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons has been the subject of numerous investigations, information on their toxicity to microorganisms in soil is limited, with virtually no work conducted on soil algae. We carried out a screening experiment for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and their toxicity to soil algal populations, microbial biomass, and soil enzymes (dehydrogenase and urease) in a long-term TPH-polluted site with reference to an adjacent unpolluted site. Microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity, and microalgae declined in medium to high-level (5,200–21,430 mg kg−1 soil) TPH-polluted soils, whereas low-level (

Citation

Megharaj, M., Singleton, I., McClure, N. C., & Naidu, R. (2000). Influence of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contamination on Microalgae and Microbial Activities in a Long-Term Contaminated Soil. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 38(4), 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002449910058

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 2, 1999
• Publication Date: May 1, 2000
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2016
• Journal: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
• Print ISSN: 0090-4341
• Electronic ISSN: 1432-0703
• Publisher: BMC
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 439-445
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002449910058
• Keywords: Toxicology; Pollution; Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/327655