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Title: Evaluation of the Effect of Arsenic Contamination on Selected Soil Enzyme Activities and Microbial Diversity

Author
item GARUBA, IZIEGBE - TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
item ANKUMAH, RAMBLE - TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
item Ibekwe, Abasiofiok - Mark
item CORLEY, MICHELLE - TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
item EGNIN, MARCELINE - TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2006
Publication Date: 11/12/2006
Citation: Garuba, I., Ankumah, R., Ibekwe, A.M., Corley, M., Egnin, M. 2006. Evaluation of the Effect of Arsenic Contamination on Selected Soil Enzyme Activities and Microbial Diversity. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, IN Nov 12-16, 2006. CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Environmental impact of different contaminants which enter the soil can alter the diversity of the soil microflora thus disrupting their ability to maintain soil quality and health. Due to the vital role played by the diverse soil microbes in soil, the measurement of the soil microbial diversity has been proposed as a key indicator of soil health. Traditional methods of evaluating microbial numbers and diversity using plate counts have been found to only account for about less than 1% of the total population and is therefore not a viable method in evaluating impact of environmental contaminants on soil quality. High arsenic levels could have a long-term toxic effect on soil microbial diversity and thus the overall soil quality. In this study we evaluated to the effects of arsenic contamination on selected soil enzyme activities and microbial diversity using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE). DNA was be extracted from Arsenic contaminated and non-contaminated soil samples from Florida and Arizona. DNA was extracted and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) performed using 50ng of template DNA with the primers, PRBA338f and PRUN518r, located at the V3 region of the 16s rRNA genes of bacterioplankton. The PCR product will then be subjected DGGE. The DGGE bands were be sequenced and analyzed to determine differences in the microbial diversity in the contaminated soil and non-contaminated soil. Our results show that arsenic contamination resulted in decrease in soil microbial population and also resulted in shifts in the microbial community as determined by DGGE.