How to quantify the bioavailability of heavy metals in soils: A multidisciplinary approach

摘要

There is a clear need for methods to quantify bioavailability of potentially toxic metals and metalloids in soil. In this work, soils, naturally polluted with heavy metals, as well as Zn, Cd, Pb, As, Hg, Cr spiked soils of different origins and compositions have been tested using a collection of chemical and biological methods. Among the biological methods, bacterial biosensors (BIOMET) based on gone fusions between heavy metal inducible resistance operons of the soil bacterium. Ralstonia metallidurans CH34 and the luxCDABE operon of Vibrio fischeri have been used as a fast detection tool for the quantification of bioavailable metal concentrations. In general, results of bacterial and phytotoxicity tests agree rather well with the data from the physico-chemical analysis. The BIOMET test is a simple and quick test, which can be used for an efficient first screening of the toxicity and bioavailability of a substrate. In case of positive results for this test, organisms of other trophic levels must be tested.