The effects of heavy metal pollution on enzyme activities and basal soil respiration of roadside soils

Abstract

In this study, soil samples (0-5 cm depth) were taken from ten different roadside fields of intensive traffic regions of Van-Turkey in order to determine the effects of heavy metal pollution on enzymes and microbial activities of soils. Basal soil respiration (BSR), arylsulphatase (ASA), alkaline phosphatase (APA) and urease (UA) enzyme activities, and heavy metal contents (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) of soils significantly changed with 5, 25 and 45 m from the roadside of soil sampling positions. BSR, ASA, APA and UA activities significantly increased while the heavy metal contents generally decreased from the sampling position of 5 m through 25 and 45 m. Significant positive correlations were found among BSR, ASA, APA and UA. Chromium, Mn and Pb contents gave the significant negative correlation with ASA, APA and UA.