Effects of Cd and Pb on diversity of microbial community and enzyme activity in soil

Pollution due to heavy metals is a serious global environmental problem, particularly in China. It is thus important to study the effects of heavy metal pollution, especially in mining areas. Cadmium(Cd) and lead(Pb) severely damage the microbial life in soil. The concentration of heavy metals and their toxic effects on microbes and enzymes in soil were examined in this study using contaminated soil samples. The Biolog method was used to analyze the characteristics of the microbial community. The results showed that the addition of Cd2+ and Pb2+ in different concentrations has a significant impact on microbial and enzyme activity in soil. With an increase in their concentrations, activities of the microbial community and enzymes decreased gradually. Each index related to the structure of the microbial community in soil decreased, indicating that pollution due to Cd and Pb reduced its size and functional activity. This study provides a reference for future research on the functional diversity of the microbial community in soil and plays its role in their environmental management.