Effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the degradation of DEHP in soil

Article type: Research Article

Authors: WANG, Shu-guang^; | LIN, Xian-gui | YIN, Rui | HOU, Yan-lin

Affiliations: Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 | Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi (Acaulospora lavis) on the degradation of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in soil was studies. Cowpea plants (Pigna sinensis) were used as host plants and grown in a specially designed rhizobox. The experimental results indicated that, both in sterile and non-sterile soil, mycorrhizal colonization rates were much higher in the mycorrhizal plants than in the non-mycorrhizal plants. Addition of 4 mg/kg DEHP slightly affected mycorrhizal colonization, but the addition of 100 mg/kg DEHP significantly decreased mycorrhizal colonization. DEHP degradation in the mycorrhizosphere (Ms) and hyphosphere (Hs), especially in the Hs, increased after inoculation with Acaulospora lavis. It is concluded that mycorrhizal hyphae play an important role in the plant uptake, degradation and translocation of DEHP. The mechanism might be attributed to increased numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes and activity of dehydrogenase, urease and acid phosphatase in the Ms and Hs by mycorrhizal fungi.

Keywords: AM fungi, inoculation, DEHP, concentration, degradation

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 458-461, 2004