Effects of historic metal(loid) pollution on earthworm communities (original) (raw)
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Two control and eight field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils were inoculated with Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826). Three, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days after inoculation, earthworm survival, body weight, cocoon production and hatching rate were measured. Seventeen metals were analysed in E. fetida tissue, bulk soil and soil solution. Soil organic carbon content, texture, pH and cation exchange capacity were also measured. Cocoon production and hatching rate were more sensitive to adverse conditions than survival or weight change. Soil properties other than metal concentration impacted toxicity. The most toxic soils were organic-poor (1–10 g C kg−1), sandy soils (c. 74% sand), with intermediate metal concentrations (e.g. 7150–13,100 mg Pb kg−1, 2970–53,400 mg Zn kg−1). Significant relationships between soil properties and the life cycle parameters were determined. The best coefficients of correlation were generally found for texture, pH, Ag, Cd, Mg, Pb, Tl, and Zn both singularly and in multivariate regressions. Studies that use metal-amended artificial soils are not useful to predict toxicity of field multi-contaminated soils.
Environmental Pollution, 1994
The earthworm Eisenia fetida (Annelida: Oligochaeta) was exposed to a geometric series of concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in artificial soil using the OECD recommended protocol. Mortality, growth and cocoon production were measured over 56 days to determine LCso and EC~ values. No observed effect concentrations (NOECs) were also estimated. Furthermore, the percentage of viable cocoons and number of juveniles emerging per cocoon was recorded. Cocoon production was more sensitive than mortality for all the metals, particularly cadmium and copper for which NOEC reproduction values were an order of magnitude lower than those Jor NOEC mortality. However, there was no significant effect of metals on the viability o f cocoons. The weights of earthworms declined in all treatments (including the controls) during the experiment. This was probably due to the lack of suitable)Cood in the OECD standard soil medium used. It was concluded that future experiments should include animal manure in the test medium. The LCso, ECho and NOEC values determined in this stud)' were compared with concentrations of metals in soils in the vicinity of a smelting works at Avonmouth, southwest England. The 14-day LCso for zinc in Eisenia fetida was exceeded in soils covering an area of 75 km 2 around the works, compared to 4.2 km 2 Jor copper and 4.7 km: for lead. Soil values for cadmium did not exceed the LCso value anywhere in the region. Similar estimates of relative effects on reproduction confirmed that zinc is most likely to be responsible for the absence of earthworms from sites close to the Avonmouth works. However, the OECD standard test overestimated the potential effects of metals on populations, since earthworms can be found as close as 1 km Jrom the smelting works. The discrepancy between test and field observations was probably due to the greater availability of the metals in the artificial soil.
Environmental Pollution, 2014
The aim of this study was to estimate the bioavailability of essential (Zn, Cu) and non-essential metals (Cd, Pb) to the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus exposed to soils originating from a gradient of metal pollution in Southern Poland. Metal uptake and elimination kinetics were determined and related to soils properties. Experimental results were compared with tissue metal concentrations observed in earthworms from the studied transect. Cd and Pb were intensively accumulated by the earthworms, with very slow or no elimination. Their uptake rate constants, based on 0.01 M CaCl 2 -extractable concentrations in the soils, increased with soil pH. Internal concentrations of Cu and Zn were maintained by the earthworms at a stable level, suggesting efficient regulation of these metals by the animals. The estimated uptake and elimination kinetics parameters enabled fairly accurate prediction of metal concentrations reached within a life span of L. rubellus in nature.
Environmental Pollution, 2013
Due to diffuse atmospheric fallouts of process particles enriched by metals and metalloids, polluted soils concern large areas at the global scale. Useful tools to assess ecotoxicity induced by these polluted soils are therefore needed. Earthworms are currently used as biotest, however the influence of specie and earthworm behaviour, soil characteristics are poorly highlighted. Our aim was therefore to assess the toxicity of various polluted soils with process particles enriches by metals and metalloids (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, As and Sb) collected from a lead recycling facility on two earthworm species belonging to different ecological types and thus likely to have contrasted behavioural responses (Eiseina hortensis and Lumbricus terrestris).
Pedobiologia, 2003
In the alluvial plain of Scarpe-Escault, in northern France, past emissions from a Zn smelter resulted in a notable Zn, Cd, and Pb-contamination of soils. The aim of this study was to assess the response of earthworm communities to a gradient of metal pollution. In 11 sites located within 4 kilometers of the smelter, according to the dominant wind direction, characteristic soil parameters and total metal contents were determined and 9 earthworm species were collected. The Kmeans clustering method, applied to the first two axes extracted by Principle coordinate analysis on species abundances, allowed to separate the 11 sites into 6 groups depending on their pollution status and the type of vegetation cover (cultivated soils, grasslands, poplar plantations). Significant differences were found between the 6 groups for the total density of earthworms, which varied from 392 ind.m -2 in unpolluted grassland to 2 ind.m -2 in the metallophyte grassland, where soil pollution was higher than in the other sites. Intermediate densities were found in unpolluted poplar plantations with 271 ind.m -2 (but only 57 ind.m -2 in polluted stands), and 52 ind.m -2 in unpolluted cultivated soils. Metal pollution also reduced species richness (from 6 to 1 species). Aporrectodea caliginosa and Allolobophora chlorotica appeared to be the most sensitive to heavy metals. A. caliginosa was dominant in unpolluted grassland (about 45 ind.m -2 ), absent in the most polluted site (35000, 8271 and 190 mg kg -1 for Zn, Pb, and Cd, respectively), and present in polluted poplar plantation (1112, 616 and 12 mg kg -1 for Zn, Pb, and Cd, respectively) although at a very low density (less than 1 ind.m -2 ).
Heavy Metal Concentrations in Earthworms From Soil Amended with Sewage Sludge
Journal of Environmental Quality, 1982
Metal concentrations in soil may be elevated considerably when metal‐laden sewage sludge is spread on land. Metals in earthworms (Lumbricidae) from agricultural fields amended with sewage sludge and from experimental plots were examined to determine if earthworms are important in transferring metals in soil to wildlife. Earthworms from four sites amended with sludge contained significantly (P < 0.05) more Cd (12 times), Cu (2.4 times), Zn (2.0 times), and Pb (1.2 times) than did earthworms from control sites, but the concentrations detected varied greatly and depended on the particular sludge application. Generally, Cd and Zn were concentrated by earthworms relative to soil, and Cu, Pb, and Ni were not concentrated. Concentrations of Cd, Zn, Cu, and Pb in earthworms were correlated (P < 0.05) with those in soil. The ratio of the concentration of metals in earthworms to the concentration of metals in soil tended to be lower in contaminated soil than in clean soil. Concentration...
HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN SOIL AND THEIR BIOACCUMULATION IN EARTHWORMS (Lumbricus terrestris L.)
The Journal "Agriculture and Forestry", 2020
The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in the soil and earthworm body (Lumbricus terrestris), as well to estimate Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) in earthworm body. The soil and earthworm samples were taken three times, from March to June 2018, in six different locations in Kosovo (Mitrovicë, Kishnicë, Kastriot, Barilevë, Drenas and Lipjan) and were brought to the laboratory for heavy metal analysis. Concentrations of heavy metals in soil and earthworm samples were determined by an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) Perkin-Elmer brand model 1100 (Boston, MA, USA). Mean heavy metal concentration in soils were, 0.03-0.78mg/kg, 70.62-264.29mg/kg, 18.96-82.24mg/kg, 0.11-0.52 and 0.03-0.42mg/kg for Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, and Cd respectively. The mean concentration range recorded in earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) were 0.02-0.42mg/kg for Cu, 53.11-205.31mg/kg for Fe, 15.74-53.15mg/kg for Zn, 0.07-0.43mg/kg for Pb, and 0.01-0.37mg/kg for Cd. Based on the results obtained it was shown that there are statistically significant differences of different levels of significance regarding the content of heavy metals according to locality (Factor A), substrate (Factor B), heavy metal (Factor C) and factor interactions (A*B), (A*C), (B*C), and (A*B*C). The accumulation of heavy metals in earthworm samples maintains the same profile as mean heavy metal concentration of the soil Fe>Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd. Since some organisms like reptiles, birds and some other vertebrates feed on earthworms, transfer of these metals across the food chain is most likely, and therefore this research will be useful for risk assessment by relevant institutions responsible for the monitoring and surveying of environmental pollution and food security and safety in Kosovo.
A review of studies performed to assess metal uptake by earthworms
Earthworms perform a number of essential functions in soil; the impacts of metals on earthworms are often investigated. In this review we consider the range of earthworm species, types of soil and forms of metal for which metal uptake and accumulation have been studied, the design of these experiments and the quantitative relationships that have been derived to predict earthworm metal body burden. We conclude that there is a need for more studies on earthworm species other than Eisenia fetida in order to apply the large existing database on this earthworm to other, soil dwelling species. To aid comparisons between studies agreement is needed on standard protocols that define exposure and depuration periods and the parameters, such as soil solution composition, soil chemical and physical properties to be measured. It is recommended that more field or terrestrial model ecosystem studies using real contaminated soil rather than metal-amended artificial soils are performed.