Fly Ash Addition Affects Microbial Biomass and Carbon Mineralization in Agricultural Soils

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2014-02, Vol.92 (2), p.160-164
• Main Authors: Nayak, A. K, Kumar, Anjani, Raja, R, Rao, K. S, Mohanty, Sangita, Shahid, Mohammad, Tripathy, Rahul, Panda, B. B, Bhattacharyya, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural land; agricultural soils; Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Aquatic Pollution; biogeochemical cycles; biological activity in soil; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Carbon; Carbon - analysis; Carbon - chemistry; Coal Ash - chemistry; Coal Ash - toxicity; Cycles; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fly ash; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; incubation period; microbial activity; microbial biomass; Microorganisms; Mineralization; Moisture content; Nutrient cycles; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Pollution; Refuse Disposal; Respiration; Soil - chemistry; Soil amendment; Soil and water pollution; Soil conditioners; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; soil respiration; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil sciences; Soil treatment; Soil water; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Waste Water Technology; water holding capacity; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-013-1182-5

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.