0000000000114649
AUTHOR
Ilse Heiskanen
Microbial toxicity and impacts on soil enzyme activities of pesticides used in potato cultivation
In the conventional cultivation of potatoes, weed control and the control of potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans are carried out by the application of herbicides and fungicides. We investigated the impacts of the herbicides metribuzin and linuron and the fungicide fluazinam on soil microbiota in microcosms, in mesocosms and in the field. The toxicity of each pesticide in solution was assessed using the luminescent bacteria test and in soil by a solid phase modification. In microcosm tests, the microbial activity and biomass were estimated by measuring several soil enzyme activities together with soil ATP content. In the mesocosm tests, the separate addition of each pesticide…
A preliminary study on the ecotoxic potency of wastewater treatment plant sludge combining passive sampling and bioassays.
Highlights • The passive samplers collected bioavail able and bioaccessible chemicals from the WWTP sludge samples. • The sampler extracts were acutely and chronically toxic to water flea. • The sampler extracts were cytotoxic and genotoxic. • The sludge treatment such as composting and digesting diminished the toxicity. • Effect-based methods should be part of the risk assessment of sludge recycling. Sewage sludge is an inevitable byproduct produced in wastewater treatment. Reusing nutrient-rich sludge will diminish the amount of waste ending in soil dumping areas and will promote circular economy. However, during sewage treatment process, several potentially harmful organic chemicals are …