Strategy for enhanced soil lead passivation and mitigating lead toxicity to plants by biochar-based microbial agents

Abstract

In the study, bone char (BC) backed biochemical composite coupling with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (CFB₁-P) was prepared to explore the passivation performance of lead (Pb) in soil and the mitigation effect on plant growth under Pb stress by measuring change of soil Pb speciation, plant growth parameters and physiological and biochemical indexes. After 30 d of remediation, addition of 1% CFB₁-P could effectively reduce 55.43% of Pb labile fractions and converted them into Fe-Mn oxide and residual forms. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of Pb was not significantly affected by wetting-drying and freezing-thawing after 20 times cycles (the DTPA-Pb content only increased 6.91-7.35 mg/kg), which proved that the CFB₁-P had an excellent prospect of passivating Pb. Moreover, the CFB₁-P effectively increased soil fertility and improved soil enzyme activity. The application of CFB₁-P could reshape the soil microbial community by recruiting beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus, Sulfurifustis, and Gaiella), which contributed to the improvement of Pb-contaminated soil quality. Furthermore, the fresh weight, photosynthetic pigment concentration, stems and roots length of cucumber seedings were significantly increased. Pb in the cucumber seedings and antioxidant enzyme activities of cucumber seedings were prominently decreased. Therefore, the study can offer a preferable comprehending for the advance of sustainable high-efficiency materials which microbial agent based on functional biochar remediated Pb-polluted soil.