Abstract
The microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and carbon mineralization of fly ash (FA) amended soil at (0 %, 1.25 %, 2.5 %, 5 %, 10 % and 20 % FA; v/v) was investigated under laboratory conditions for 120 days at 60 % soil water-holding capacity and 25 ± 1°C temperature. The results demonstrated that soil respiration and microbial activities were not suppressed up to 2.5 % FA amendment and these activities decreased significantly at 10 % and 20 % FA treatment with respect to control. Application of 10 % and 20 % FA treated soils showed a decreasing trend of soil MBC with time; and the decrease was significant throughout the period of incubation. The study concluded that application of FA up to 2.5 % can thus be safely used without affecting the soil biological activity and thereby improve nutrient cycling in agricultural soils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alef K (1995) Estimation of soil respiration. In: Alef K, Nannipieri P (eds) Methods in applied soil microbiology and biochemistry. Academic Press, London
Arthur MA, Zwick TC, Tolle DA, Voris PV (1984) Effects of fly ash on microbial CO2 evolution from an agricultural soil. Water Air Soil Pollut 22:209–216
Cerevelli S, Petruzzelli G, Perna A, Menicagli R (1986) Soil nitrogen and fly ash utilization: a laboratory investigation. Agrochemica 30:27–33
Doran JW, Parkin TB (1994) Defining and assessing soil quality. In: Doran JW, Coleman DC, Bezdicek DF, Stewart BA (eds) Defining soil quality for sustainable environment. Special Pub. 35. Soil Science Society of America, Madison
Garau MA, Dalmau JL, Felipo MT (1991) Nitrogen mineralization in soil amended with sewage sludge and fly ash. Biol Fertil Soils 12:199–201
Gray TRG (1990) Methods for studying the microbial ecology of soil. In: Grigorovia R, Norris JR (eds) Methods in microbiology, vol 22. Academic Press, London, pp 309–342
Gregorich EG, Carter MR, Angers DA, Monreal CM, Ellert BH (1994) Towards a minimum data set to assess soil organic matter quality in agricultural soils. Can J Soil Sci 74:367–385
Jenkinson DS, Ladd JN (1981) Microbial biomass in soil: measurement and turnover. In: Paul EA, Ladd JN (eds) Soil Biochemistry. Decker, New York, pp 415–471
Joergensen RG (1996) The fumigation–extraction method to estimate soil microbial biomass: calibration of the kEC value. Soil Biol Biochem 28:25–31
Kesh S, Kalra N, Sharma SK, Chaudhary A (2003) Fly ash incorporation effects on soil characteristics, growth and yield of wheat. Asia Pacific J Environ Dev 4:53–69
Kumar A, Nayak AK, Shukla AK, Panda BB, Raja R, Shahid M, Tripathi R, Mohanty S, Rath PC (2012) Microbial biomass and carbon mineralization in agricultural soils as affected by pesticide addition. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88:538–542
Lindsay WL, Norvell WA (1978) Development of DTPA soil test for Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42:421–428
Nannipieri P, Grego S, Ceccanti B (1990) Ecological significance of the biological activity in soil. Soil Biol Biochem 6:293–355
Nayak AK, Gangwar B, Shukla AK, Sonali PM, Kumar A, Raja R, Kumar A, Kumar V, Rai PK, Mohan U (2012) Long-term effect of different integrated nutrient management on soil organic carbon and its fractions and sustainability of rice–wheat system in Indo Gangetic Plains of India. Field Crop Res 127:129–139
Page AL, Elseewi AA, Straughan IR (1979) Physical and Chemical properties of fly ash from coal-fired power plants with special reference to environmental impacts. Residue Rev 71:83–120
Pati SS, Sahu SK (2004) CO2 evolution and enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, protease and amylase) of fly ash amended soil in the presence and absence of earthworms (Drawid awillsi Michaelsen) under laboratory conditions. Geoderma 118:289–301
Perrott KW, Sarathchandra SU, Dow BW (1992) Seasonal and fertilizer effects on the organic cycle and microbial biomass in a hill country soil under pasture. Austr J Soil Res 30:383–394
Pichtel JR (1990) Microbial respiration in fly ash/sewage sludge amended soils. Environ Pollut 63:225–237
Pichtel JR, Hayes JM (1990) Influence of fly ash on soil microbial activity and populations. J Environ Qual 19:593–597
Powlson DS (1994) The soil microbial biomass: before, beyond and back. In: Dighton J, Giller KE, Ritz K (eds) Beyond the biomass. Wiley, Chichester
Rippon JE, Wood MJ (1975) Microbiological aspects of pulverized fuel ash. In: Chadwick MJ, Goodman GT (eds) The ecology of resource degradation and renewal. John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp 331–349
Rumpel C, Knicker H, Kogel-Knaber I, Skjiemstad JO, Huuetti RF (1998) Types and chemical composition of organic matter in reforested lignite-rich mine soils. Geoderma 86:123–142
Saffigna PG, Powlson DS, Brookes PC, Thomas GA (1989) Influence of sorghum residues and tillage on soil organic matter and soil microbial biomass in an Australian vertisol. Soil Biol Biochem 21:759–765
Schutter FE, Fuhrmann JJ (2001) Soil microbial community responses to fly ash amendment as revealed by analyses of whole soils and bacterial isolates. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1947–1958
Sommerville L (1987) Perspective on side effect testing. In: Sommerville L, Greaves MP (eds) Pesticide effects in soil microflora. Taylor and Francis, London
Surridge AKJ, Merwe A, Kruger R (2009) Preliminary microbial studies on the impact of plant sand South African fly ash on amelioration of crude oil polluted soils. In World of Coal Ash (WOCA) Conference, May 4–7
Torstenssen L, Stenstorm J (1986) Basic respiration rate as a tool for prediction of pesticide persistence in soil. Toxic Assess 1:57–72
Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 19:703–707
Voos G, Groffman PM (1997) Relationship between microbial biomass and dissipation of 2, 4-D and Dicamba in soil. Biol Fertil Soils 24:106–110
Wong MH, Wong JWC (1986) Effects of fly ash on soil microbial activity. Environ Pollut Asses 40:127–144
Zibilski LM (1994) Carbon mineralization. In: Bingham JM, Mickelson SH (eds) ‘Methods of soil analysis’, Part 2. Microbiological and biochemical properties SSSA, Book Series No. 5.ASA, SSSA, Madison
Acknowledgments
Financial support provided by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India via the project “Confidence building and facilitation of large scale use of fly ash as an ameliorant and nutrient source for enhancing rice productivity and soil health” for this study is greatly appreciated.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nayak, A.K., Kumar, A., Raja, R. et al. Fly Ash Addition Affects Microbial Biomass and Carbon Mineralization in Agricultural Soils. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 92, 160–164 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-013-1182-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-013-1182-5