Organic acid release and microbial community assembly driven by phosphate-solubilizing bacteria enhance Pb, Cd, and...

Although iron-doped hydroxyapatite (Fe-HAP) and its composites have been reported to immobilize arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), its practical application is limited by the inefficient release of iron and phosphate. In this study, Ochrobactrum anthropic, a phosphate-solubilizing bacterium isolated from a lead-zinc smelting site, was employed to enhance multi-heavy metal immobilization in Fe-HAP-amended soils. O. anthropic secreted low-molecular-weight organic acids, promoted phosphate (25.6 mg/L) and iron (14.2 mg/L) release from Fe-HAP, and minimally disrupted native bacteria. Compared to CK, the combination of 2 % O. anthropic (v/w) and Fe-HAP (Fe-to-HAP ratio of 1:1) significantly increased the residual fractions of Cd, Pb, and As by 109.09 %, 49.21 %, and 25.00 %, respectively. The combined treatment also improved available phosphorus, available nitrogen, and acid phosphatase activity by 233.24 %, 196.55 %, and 246.45 %, respectively. Furthermore, O. anthropic facilitated the recruitment of phylum Firmicutes and genera Acidovorax, Sedimentibacter, and Brevundimonas, shifting the bacterial community from specialists to generalists. Positive correlations were observed between residual fractions of Pb, Cd, As, well-crystallized As, and the abundance of Firmicutes, Acidovorax, and Sedimentibacte. These findings demonstrate the potential of an O. anthropic-driven Fe-HAP remediation strategy for the eco-friendly restoration of barren and polymetallic-contaminated soils.