US EPA

1349021 

Journal Article 

Resistance to arsenic-toxicity in a population of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus 

Langdon, CJ; Piearce, TG; Black, S; Semple, KT 

1999 

1 

Soil Biology and Biochemistry
ISSN: 0038-0717
EISSN: 1879-3428 

BIOSIS/00/29807 

31 

14 

1963-1967 

eng 

WOS:000083246300006 

BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. Specimens of the earthworms Lumbricus terrestris L. and L. rubellus Hoffmeister from an uncontaminated site rapidly deteriorated in condition when kept in spoil rich in metal contaminants and arsenic. The site from which the spoil was collected supports several earthworm species, L. rubellus being dominant. Native L. rubellus survived for 12 weeks in spoil in the laboratory. L. rubellus collected from the spoil site and an uncontaminated site were kept for 28 d in uncontaminated soil and in soil sites were 1 mg kg-1 and 230 mg kg-1, respectively. In L. rubellus collectedfrom the uncontaminated site and exposed to contaminated soil containing 2000 mg sodium arsenate heptahydrate kg-1, mean tissue As concentration was 92 mg kg-1. 

arsenic-sensitivity; earthworm; soil contamination; metal contaminants; toxicity testing