Bacteria Isolated from Wastewater Irrigated Agricultural Soils Adapt to Heavy Metal Toxicity While Maintaining Their Plant Growth Promoting Traits

Abdul Wahab Ajmal, Saleha Saroosh, Shah Mulk, Muhammad Nadeem Hassan, Humaira Yasmin, Zahra Jabeen, Asia Nosheen, Syed Muhammad Usman Shah, Rabia Naz, Zuhair Hasnain, Tariq Mahmood Qureshi, Abdul Waheed and Saqib Mumtaz
Additional contact information
Abdul Wahab Ajmal: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Saleha Saroosh: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Shah Mulk: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Muhammad Nadeem Hassan: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Humaira Yasmin: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Zahra Jabeen: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Asia Nosheen: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Syed Muhammad Usman Shah: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Rabia Naz: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Zuhair Hasnain: PMAS, Attock Campus, Arid Agriculture University, Attock 46000, Pakistan
Tariq Mahmood Qureshi: Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nilore, Islamabad 45650, Pakistan
Abdul Waheed: National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, PARC, Shinkiari, Mansehra 22010, Pakistan
Saqib Mumtaz: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-15

Abstract: The present study explored the plant growth promotion and bioremediation potential of bacteria inhabiting wastewater irrigated agricultural soils. Thirty out of 75 bacterial isolates (40%), 29/75 (39%) and 28/75 (37%) solubilized Zn, K and PO 4 during plate essays respectively. Fifty-six percent of the isolates produced siderophores, while 30% released protease in vitro. Seventy-four percent of bacteria resisted Pb, Ni and Cd at various concentrations added to the culture media plates. Sixteen out of 75 (26%) isolates were able to fix N in Nbf medium. Among these 16 N fixers, N fixing nifH, nifD and nifK genes was detected through PCR in 8, 7 and 1 strain respectively using gene specific primers designed in the study with Enterobacter sp. having all three ( nifHKD) genes. Isolated bacteria showed resemblance to diverse genera such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Acinetobacter, Serratia, Klebsiella and Enterococcus based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In addition to showing the best mineral solubilization and metal resistance potential, Citrobacter sp. and Enterobacter sp. also removed 87%, 79% and 43% and 86%, 78% and 51% of Ni, Cd and Pb, respectively, from aqueous solution. These potent bacteria may be exploited both for bioremediation and biofertilization of wastewater irrigated soils leading to sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: bioremediation; biofertilization; nitrogen fixation; wastewater; heavy metal removal; plant growth promoting bacteria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7792/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7792/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7792-:d:593046

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().