Combined pollution of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) and cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils is of great concern because they present serious risk to food security and human health.In order to develop a cost-effective and safe method for the removal of DDTs and Cd in soil,combined remediation of DDTs and Cd in soil by Sphingobacterium sp.D-6 and the hyperaccumulator,Sedum alfredii Hance was investigated.After treatment for 210 days,the degradation half-lives of DDTs in soils treated by strain D-6 decreased by 8.1% to 68.0% compared with those in the controls.The inoculation of strain D-6 into soil decreased the uptake of DDTs by pak choi and S.alfredii.The shoots/roots ratios of S.alfredii for the Cd accumulation ranged from 12.32 to 21.75.The Cd concentration in soil decreased to 65.8%-71.8% for S.alfredii treatment and 14.1%-58.2% for S.alfredii and strain D-6 combined treatment,respectively,compared with that in the control.The population size of the DDTs-degrading strain,Simpson index (1/D) and soil respiratory rate decreased in the early stage of treatment and then gradually increased,ultimately recovering to or exceeding the initial level.The results indicated that synchronous incorporation of strain D-6 and S.alfredii into soil was found to significantly (p 0.05) enhance the degradation of DDTs in soil and the hyperaccumulation of Cd in S.alfredii.It was concluded that strain D-6 and S.alfredii could be used successfully to control DDTs and Cd in contaminated soil.
