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5064245 
Journal Article 
Selective bioaccumulation of neonicotinoids and sub-lethal effects in the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to environmental concentrations in an artificial soil 
Chevillot, F; Convert, Y; Desrosiers, M; Cadoret, N; Veilleux, É; Cabana, H; Bellenger, JP 
2017 
Yes 
Chemosphere
ISSN: 0045-6535
EISSN: 1879-1298 
186 
839-847 
English 
28826132 
WOS:000411846900099 
In this study, we evaluated the bioaccumulation of neonicotinoid insecticides in the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to environmental concentrations (<200 ng g-1 dry weight, nominal concentration) in an artificial soil. We tested the selectivity for neonicotinoids by exposing earthworms to 7 neonicotinoids alone and in more complex mixtures of 54 pesticides then 69 organic contaminants (OCs) (54 pesticides and 15 pharmaceuticals). We applied long-term (56-day) toxicity tests to further evaluate the effect of OCs on earthworms. We monitored adult survival, adult DNA damage using a comet assay on earthworm coelomocyte cells, and reproduction performance (i.e. number of cocoons and number and dry weight of juveniles). A selective bioaccumulation of neonicotinoid insecticides in adult and juvenile earthworms was found. This bioaccumulation is concomitant with a significant increase in adult DNA damage and significant effects on reproduction when earthworms were exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides alone. This study reveals a new potential point of entry of neonicotinoid insecticides into the wildlife food chain and also shows that E. andrei reproduction could be affected by long-term exposure to environmental concentrations of OCs. 
Earthworms; Neonicotinoid insecticides; Environmental concentrations; Bioaccumulation; Reproduction effects; Multiclass organic contaminants 
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