Effect of sludges on bacteria in agricultural soil: Analysis at laboratory and outdoor lysimeter scale

The effect of composted (CS), digested (DS) and liquid raw (LRS) sludges unspiked or spiked with benzo[a]pyrene(BaPYR), dibuthyl phthalate (DBP) or nonyl phenol (NP) on the structure of the bacterial communities of an agricultural soil was estimated by using thermal temporal gel electrophoresis (TTGE). At the laboratory scale, DS and especially LRS modified the composition of the bacterial communities (irrespective of the addition of BaPYR, DBP or NP or not). Sludges, especially LRS, very probably acted both as a bacterial inoculum and a nutrient source. The combined effect was transient in the laboratory conditions probably due to the favorable conditions of mineralization. The results observed with soil amended with the same sludges and cultivated or not with carrots in outdoor lysimeters were similar to those observed in the laboratory experiments. Thus, this bioassay allowed predicting the potential effect of various sludges on the structure of the bacterial communities within a few days.