EFFECTS OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION ON SOIL

MICROBIAL BIOMASS By Nkosi N.G., supervisor- Kgopa P.M

Faculty Research Day21 November 2016

INTRODUCTIONBackground..

What is soil biomass?Heavy metal contamination.Impacts.

INTRODUCTION CONT….Possible causes.Possible solution. Focus of study.

PROBLEM STATEMENT• Heavy metal contamination poses health risks

to the environment as well as humans, current literature is limited to effect of heavy metal toxicity to humans, the proposed solution is a broader focus on effect on soil microbial biomass.

RATIONALE OF STUDY97% soil microbes are beneficial(Darwin,

2010).Save RSA billions in wasted land, inadequate

land distribution, agricultural input programs for farmers.

Benefits to nation as well as science community.

To investigate the effect of heavy metals on soil biomass.

PURPOSE OF STUDYAIM

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether heavy metal

contamination will affect soil microbial biomass.

HYPOTHESISHeavy metal contamination does not have any

effect on soil microbial biomass

METHODOLOGYstudy area description

Syferkuil commercial site (23.848435 S and 29.6781 E)

METHODOLOGY CONT…Data collection

Soil biomassHeavy metals

Research design

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Week four after acceleration Week eight after acceleration

As Pb Ni Co0

5

10

15

20

25

heavymetal

bacteria

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CONT…

• Week four after acceleration

• Week four after acceleration

CONCLUSIONThe added concentrations of heavy metals

have changed the soil microbial community structure and activities.

Pb and As have the highest effect on soil fungi since fungi decline greatly from week four to eight. The Interaction of both Pb and As has less effect on soil fungi than when they are single available in the soil.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FamilyResearch teamSupervisor Soil science and c pathology lab techniciansUniversity of Limpopo

The end…

Thank you