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Peroxidase activity along soil depth of a metal contaminated brownfield in New Jersey
Author(s) -
Dyson Eshariah N.,
Idrovo Cesar,
Hagmann Diane,
Krumins Jenifer,
Goodey Nina
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.04655
Subject(s) - peroxidase , brownfield , environmental remediation , environmental chemistry , environmental science , contamination , public park , soil contamination , chemistry , soil water , enzyme , ecology , soil science , biology , biochemistry , civil engineering , redevelopment , engineering , environmental planning
The peroxidase enzyme is a member of the oxidoreductase family of enzymes. It has been referred to as a remediation enzyme, as more peroxidase activity is observed when soils are experiencing oxidative stress. At Liberty State Park, a New Jersey brownfield, there is a section of the park that is closed to the public because of high levels of metal contamination. Despite the presence of metals in the soil, much of the area supports plant life. The goal of this study is to determine how the peroxidase activity and metals are distributed along soil depth and to compare results from a forested and barren area of the site. To do this, we collected three 10 cm deep soil cores from each of the two sites. Using the cores, we examine the peroxidase activity and metal concentrations of each 2 cm cross section. We found a similar trend in distribution along depth for metal concentration and peroxidase activity in the forested site. The barren site had a measurable peroxidase activity with a high metal concentration found in the top 2 cm cross section. These studies can serve as tools to understand the relationship between peroxidase activity, metal load, and soil depth and determine how these factors effect plant growth. Support or Funding Information NSF Grant CBET #1603741