In this study we examined the impact of EDTA remediation on soil quality, the availability of potentially toxic metal (PTM) Pb, Cd and Zn in soil and the abundance of the total bacterial, archaeal and fungal community, as well as abundance of nitrogen (N) cycle microbial guilds in dependance of soil properties. We designed a pot experiment in which we included two samples of long-term contaminated soil from Meža Valley (SLO) and Arnoldstein (AT), and control non-contaminated soil from Savlje (KONT). All three samples of the original (`orig´) soils differed in soil properties, especially in the pH and soil organic matter content, and total metal concentration. `Orig´ soils were remediated by washing with EDTA. We also included plants (Lolium perenne) and added inoculum (rhizosphere soil) as treatments. Remediation with EDTA decreased the percentage of sand (by 9,2 %, 17,4 %, 8 %, in the order of AT, SLO, KONT) and the organic matter content. The pH and the available plant nutrients (Nmin, P2O5, K2O) increased, which can explain the larger plant biomass in remediated (`rem´) soil. The metal concentrations in soluble and exchangeable soil fraction, especially in the soil with the higher pH (SLO), were significantly decreased. In comparison to `orig´ soil, microbial biomass in `rem´ soil was significantly lower even four months after remediation (by 33 %, 49 %, in AT, SLO soil). Remediation reduced abundance of archaeal 16S rRNA genes in SLO for 28 %. Altered soil conditions after remediation have also reflected in lower abundance of microbial functional genes in the N-fixation, nitrification and denitrification pathways, especially in soils with the higher pH and higher organic matter content. The presence of plant increased microbial biomass, the abundance of bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS genes, and functional microbial genes involved in N cycle in `rem´ soil, whereas the addition of inoculum negatively affected the abundance of all studied soil microbial communities. It can be concluded that remediation have, through changed soil conditions, a negative impact on soil microbial communities, however in strong dependance of soil properties. Plants play an important role in the revitalization of `rem´ soil, while the addition of inoculums needs to be further investigated.
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