Streptococcus suis sorption on agricultural soils: Role of soil physico-chemical properties

• Pathogen Streptococcus suis sorbed on the external surfaces of soil aggregates.
• Solution pH was the most important factor affecting S. suis sorption affinities.
• Cation exchange capacity was negatively correlated with partition coefficients.
• Soil solid components played insignificant roles in bacterial sorption behaviors.
• DLVO theory had limitations in predicting S. suis sorption in natural soils.

Understanding pathogen sorption on natural soil particles is crucial to protect public health from soilborne and waterborne diseases. Sorption of pathogen Streptococcus suis on 10 agricultural soils was examined, and its correlations with soil physico-chemical properties were also elucidated. S. suis sorption isotherms conformed to the linear equation, with partition coefficients (Ks) ranging from 12.7 mL g−1 to 100.1 mL g−1. Bacteria were observed to sorb on the external surfaces of soil aggregates by scanning electron microscopy. Using Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis, solution pH was found to have significant negative correlations with Ks. Stepwise multiple regression and path analysis revealed that pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were the main factors influencing sorption behaviors. The obtained overall model (Ks = 389.6 − 45.9 × pH − 1.3 × CEC, R2 = 0.943, P < 0.001) can accurately predict Ks values. However, the variability in Ks was less dependent on soil organic matter, specific surface area, soil texture and zeta potential, probably due to the internal-surface shielding phenomenon of soil aggregates. Additionally, the sorption trends cannot be interpreted by interaction energy barriers calculated using the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory, suggesting the limits of DLVO theory in describing pathogen sorption on natural soils. Our results also indicated soil pH and CEC should be preferentially considered when modeling S. suis sorption process.

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