The effect of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) consortium conformed by (Glomus intraradices, Glomus albidum, Glomus diaphanum, and Glomus claroideum) on plant growth and absorption of Pb, Fe, Na, Ca, and (32)P in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants was evaluated. AMF-plants and controls were grown in a substrate amended with powdered Pb slag at proportions of 0, 10, 20, and 30% v/v equivalent to total Pb contents of 117; 5,337; 13,659, and 19,913 mg Pb kg(-1) substrate, respectively. Mycorrhizal root colonization values were 70, 94, 98, and 90%, for barley and 91, 97, 95, and 97%, for sunflower. AMF inoculum had positive repercussions on plant development of both crops. Mycorrhizal barley absorbed more Pb (40.4 mg Pb kg(-1)) shoot dry weight than non-colonized controls (26.5 mg Pb kg(-1)) when treated with a high Pb slag dosage. This increase was higher in roots than shoots (650.0 and 511.5 mg Pb kg(-1) root dry weight, respectively). A similar pattern was found in sunflower. Plants with AMF absorbed equal or lower amounts of Fe, Na and Ca than controls. H. vulgare absorbed more total P (1.0%) than H. annuus (0.9%). The arbuscular mycorrizal consortium enhanced Pb extraction by plants.

Manufacturing environment in tanning industry has been associated with human diseases caused by biological agents. This paper reports the microbiological contamination of the indoor environment at a group of tanneries in León, Guanajuato, México. The microorganisms present in the indoor environment of the tannery industry has been quantified and identified. The bacteria and fungi concentration in almost all cases exceeded the acceptable levels as dictated by Swedish standard and the limit values proposed by the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The indoor/outdoor ratio was determined, revealing poor air quality at the studied sites. This study has illustrated the presence of pathogens, hazardous to humans in indoor environments of tanneries. The identified bacteria by sequencing of 16S rDNA gene, belonged to families: Bacillaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Moraxellaceae, Nocardiopsaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae. Some of which can be categorized as pathogens such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei, Pantoea agglomerans, Pseudomonas putida and Staphylococcus gallinarum. In addition, Fungi genuses identified by microscopy were Aspergillus and Penicillium. The yeasts presumptively identified by ChromAgar medium were Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Some of these identified microorganisms have been correlated with adverse human health effects, especially in individuals with immunocompromised system.