maize

lead

rhizobacteria

Kanchanaburi province

soil remediation

Heavy metals contamination of soil

This research aimed to study lead accumulation and the type of rhizobacteria associated with maize grown in the lead-contaminated area of Klity village, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. The results showed that lead concentrations in different tissues were roots > shoots > grains. The highest lead concentration was recorded on day 120 (54.31, 110.67 and 4.79 mg·kg^-1 in shoots, roots, and grains, respectively). The lowest lead concentration was recorded on day 40 (27.80 and 71.90 mg·kg^-1 in shoots and roots, respectively) with no detectable lead in the grain. Results indicate that lead concentration in grains on day 120 of the experiment exceeded the European Union Standard (0.2 mg·kg^-1), which might not be safe for human consumption but did not exceed the standard as animal feed (30 mg·kg^-1). This research found four species of bacteria that could grow in soil at a lead concentration exceeding 3,600 mg·kg^-1, namely Bacillus sp. B26, Pseudomonas sp. S169, Pseudomonas putida strain RW10S2, and Bacillus subtilis strain SM10.