Microbial diversity and activity assessment in a 100-year-old lead mine

Mining activities frequently leave a legacy of residues that remain in the area for long periods causing pollution surroundings. We studied on 100 year-old mine, behavior potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and their ecotoxicological impact activity diversity microorganisms. The PTEs contamination assessment allowed classification materials as highly (reference- contaminated-samples) very polluted (illegal spill olive mill wastes (OMW), tailings, dumps). OMW presented lowest enzymatic while tailings dumps had low dehydrogenase arylsulfatase activities. All ?-diversity indices were negatively impacted dumps. Tailings lower Chao1 PD whole tree values compared to those reference-samples. ?-diversity analysis showed similar bacterial community composition reference- contaminated-samples, significantly differing from relative abundance Gemmatimonadetes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia was OMW, Fifty-seven operational taxonomic units selected responsible changes observed between samples. This study highlights assessing relationship physicochemical properties microbial gives clues about ongoing regulating processes can be helpful stakeholders define an appropriate management strategy.