Journal or Publishing Institution: Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B
Study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/PFC-120018450
Author(s): Dinel, H.H., Schnitzer, M.M., Saharinen, M.M., Meloche, F.F., Paré, T., Dumontet, S., Lemee, L.L. and Ambles, A.A.
Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study
Record ID: 509
Abstract: Pyrolysis-gas (Py-GC) chromatography was used to characterize extractable lipids from Bt and non-Bt maize shoots and soils collected at time of harvesting. Py-GC-MS (mass spectrometry) showed that the concentrations of total alkenes identified in non-Bt shoots and soils were 47.9 and 21.3% higher than in Bt maize shoots and soils, respectively. N-alkanes identified were of similar orders of magnitude in Bt and non-Bt maize shoots, but were 28.6% higher in Bt than in non-Bt soils. Bt maize shoots contained 29.7% more n-fatty acids than non-Bt maize shoots, whereas the concentrations of n-fatty acids in Bt soils were twice as high as those in non-Bt soils. Concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in Bt maize shoots were 22.1% higher than those in non-Bt maize shoots, while concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids (were 22.5% higher in non-Bt than in Bt soils. The cumulative CO[SUB2]-C evolved from) soils under Bt and non-Bt crops was 30.5% lower under Bt as compared to non-Bt crops, whereas when maize shoots were added to Bt and non-Bt soils, the decrease in CO[SUP2]-C evolved were 16.5 and 23.6%, respectively. Our data showed that the cultivation of Bt maize significantly increased the saturated to unsaturated lipid ratios in soils which appeared to negatively affect microbial activity.
Keywords: Bt maize, Soil lipids, Microbial activity, Soil respiration, Soil organic matter
Citation: Dinel, H. H., Schnitzer, M. M., Saharinen, M. M., Meloche, F. F., Paré, T., Dumontet, S., … & Ambles, A. A. (2003). Extractable soil lipids and microbial activity as affected by Bt and non Bt maize grown on a silty clay loam soil. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 38(2), 211-219.
