USE OF LUX-BASED BIOSENSORS FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF POLLUTANTS IN ARABLE SOILS

A field trial, in Central Scotland, demonstrated that crop yields were reduced with increased application of paper mill sludge to land. A su ite of ecotoxicity assays, including, luminescence response of lux-mar ked bacteria, respirometry and enzyme activity was used to assess toxi city of the paper mill sludge to the soil microbial biomass. The resul ts from the use of the lux based biosensors correlated well with more traditional microbial indicators of soil pollution (respiration and en zyme activity). Concentrations of metals and organic contaminants in s amples were confirmed using GFAAS and CC-MS, respectively. The main po llutant components of paper mill sludge were found to be Cd, Cu and PC P (pentachlorophenol). The range of environmental bioassays used, with chemical verification, was shown to offer a rapid and comprehensive b attery test for rapid assessment of the ecotoxicity associated with pa permill sludge application to land. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.