An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Sorbents in the Remediation of Soil Contaminated with Zinc

Zinc exerts negative effects on soil and contributing to the degradation of soil ecosystems. New solutions for restoring healthy soil activity are therefore needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sorbents in the biological remediation of soil contaminated with zinc. A pot experiment was conducted on loamy sand. The tested plant was maize (Zea mays). Soil was contaminated with zinc chloride doses of 0, 100, 300, and 900 mg Zn(2+) kg(−1) DM soil (dry matter of soil). Alginate, biochar, sepiolite, calcined halloysite, and a molecular sieve were added to soil in amounts corresponding to 2.5% of soil weight to minimize zinc’s potentially toxic effects on the biological properties of soil. The application of zinc stimulated the proliferation of all analyzed microbial groups. Zinc exerted negative effects on the ecophysiological diversity (EP) of fungi and the activity of dehydrogenases, catalase, and acid phosphatase. The applied sorbents modified the microbiological and biochemical properties of soil. In zinc-contaminated soil, alginate, biochar, and molecular sieve increased the counts of organotrophic, oligotrophic, and actinobacteria. Sorbents were not highly effective in promoting fungal growth and exerted varied effects on the activity of soil enzymes. The molecular sieve stimulated the activity of all soil enzymes, excluding β-glucosidase. Alginate minimized the negative influence of zinc on dehydrogenases and acid phosphatase, and biochar—on catalase, sepiolite, and calcined halloysite —on acid phosphatase. By modifying the biological properties of soil, the tested sorbents contributed to an increase in maize yields and a decrease in zinc uptake by maize plants.