Research on the effects of peat smouldering smoke on soil enzymatic activity (modelling of peat fires)

Peat smouldering leads to smoke emissions, which can subsequently have an effect on the soil, causing pollution by deposition and smog. As a consequence, there may be a change in the biological properties of soils, which influences soil fertility. To study the effects of gaseous substances on soil, several laboratory experiments (modelling the potential effects of smoke on soil) were carried out. As a result of the research, the activity of soil enzymes, class of oxidoreductases (catalase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase) was decreased after 30-120 min of soil treatment with peat smoke. Meanwhile, the enzymes of the hydrolase class (invertase, phosphatase) remained basically unchanged. The pH of soil suspension after smoke exposure decreased by 0.28 units after the first and second experiments. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as naphthalene, biphenyl, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene were found in soil samples. Some of the substances in the experimental (smoke-treated) samples exceeded background (non-smoked) samples. The total amount of the analysed substances was 493.92 ng/g.