Scientists from the Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNIPU) studied the possibilities of cleaning the soil from herbicides using microorganisms. socialbites.ca was told about this by the press service of the scientific institution.
Herbicides are widely used in agriculture to kill weeds. Their constant use leads to the accumulation of harmful substances in the soil. Depending on concentration and dose, they have a toxic effect on the environment and the human body, causing cancer, infertility, nervous system disorders, infertility and other serious diseases.
Numerous species of bacteria have the ability to absorb such chemicals and use them in their metabolism. Experts of Perm Polytechnic studied the growth process of microorganisms that use herbicides as the sole source of carbon and energy in the life process and determined the effective rate of crops to cleanse the soil from chemicals.
In PNRPU, four soil bacterial species (H1, H2, H3, and H4) were selected and placed in a solution of one of the common herbicides at a concentration of 50 milligrams per cubic decimeter.
“To study the effectiveness of a combination of these cultures, we prepared suspensions of them in a solution of sodium chloride. This material was added dropwise to herbicide-containing media in different proportions (1:1, 1:2, 2:1). Key indicators were also measured. More of the specific growth rate The best interaction between crops with a high (0.111) turned out to be a 1:2 ratio of H1 and H3.” Galina Kozlova, associate professor of the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology of PNRPU, told socialbites.ca.
The results showed that combining different bacterial cultures doubled their ability to break down harmful chemicals. According to scientists, such methods will significantly reduce the toxic effects of herbicides on the environment and human health.
Previous scientists I learnedHow widely pesticides affect young people’s brains.