Evaluation of Alternative Reference Toxicants for Use in the Earthworm Toxicity Test

Yeardley, Roger B.; Lazorchak, James M.; Pence, Michael A.

doi:10.1897/1552-8618(1995)14[1189:eoartf]2.0.co;2

Cited by 7 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Ammonia can be toxic to earthworms when present at high concentrations and high pH. Yeardley et al (1995) determined that ammonium chloride had a 50% lethal concentration (LC 50 ) of 163 mg/kg in a 14‐day test in an artificial soil. Dillon et al (1993) found that a solution concentration of 0.7 mg/L of un‐ionized ammonia had negative effects on development and survival of juvenile worms.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biosolids‐Amended Soils: Part I. Effect of Biosolids Application on Soil Quality and Ecotoxicity

Banks¹,

Schwab²,

Cofield³

et al. 2006

Water Environment Research

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Investigations of potential risk from biosolids generally indicate that land application does not threaten human or ecosystem health, but questions continue to arise concerning the environmental effects of this practice. This research project was initiated to evaluate ecotoxicity resulting from the amendment of soils with biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Toxicity was evaluated using standard tests, including earthworm mortality, growth, and reproduction; seedling germination and root elongation; microbial respiration; and nematode mortality and reproduction. Nineteen municipal wastewater treatment plants were identified to participate in an initial screening of toxicity, and five were chosen for a more detailed evaluation. In addition, two soils with historically high applications of high‐metal biosolids were evaluated. Contaminants examined were zinc, copper, nickel, chromium, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Single applications had no effect on soil metal concentrations. Coplanar PCBs were not detectable in any of the soils or biosolids. All target organisms were sensitive to reference toxicants. Limited toxicity was observed in a small number of the amended soils, but no patterns emerged. Approximately one‐half of the negative effects of biosolids on bioindicators could be attributed to routine properties, such as slight depression of pH and/or elevated salinity. None of the accumulated metal concentrations were excessive, and most would not be considered elevated. These observations suggest that current regulations for application of biosolids to soils are providing adequate ecosystem protection.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biosolids‐Amended Soils: Part I. Effect of Biosolids Application on Soil Quality and Ecotoxicity

Banks¹,

Schwab²,

Cofield³

et al. 2006

Water Environment Research

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“…1). By ensuring that the test organisms' responses are similar, the precision (measured as a low CV) is maintained from test to test [31,32]. The responses of all three nematode species were highly reproducible with CVs ranging from 14.8 for P. redivivus to only 7.36 for P. pacificus (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of the sensitivity of three nematode species to copper and their utility in aquatic and soil toxicity tests

Boyd

Williams

2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Nematodes are useful organisms for aquatic and soil toxicity testing because of their abundance and diversity as well as their ease of culturing and maintenance in the laboratory. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been used extensively in toxicity testing, but its sensitivity to metal exposures in relation to other nematodes remains unclear. In this study, we compare the sensitivity and ease of use of two other rhabditid nematodes, Panagrellus redivivus and Pristionchus pacificus, to C. elegans. Toxicity endpoints were chosen to investigate the effects of Cu on the survival of these nematodes after soil exposures and on the survival, reproduction, movement, and feeding behavior of nematodes after exposures in aquatic medium. In all lethality testing, P. pacificus was the most sensitive, C. elegans exhibited intermediate sensitivity, and P. redivivus was the least sensitive. Reproduction and movement of C. elegans and reproduction of P. pacificus were decreased 50% by similar concentrations of Cu (EC50s approximately 2 mg/L), but P. pacificus movement was less sensitive to Cu exposures (EC50 = 8 mg/L). Although all nematodes may be useful in lethality assays, using P. redivivus in toxicity tests is complicated by the presence of two sexes and difficulties in obtaining age-synchronized cultures. Pristionchus pacificus is an ideal acute toxicity-testing organism because of its sensitivity and ease of culturing. However, C. elegans appears to be more sensitive and therefore most useful in behavioral assays. Future studies of the relative sensitivities of nematodes in toxicity testing should continue to investigate additional toxicants, nematode species, and quantifications of sublethal effects after soil exposures.

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“…They did not speculate on the cause of the cascade deaths. In a later paper investigating the use of different reference toxicants in earthworm toxicity tests, Yeardley et al [9] noted the toxicity of NH 4 Cl to E. fetida and suggested that the cascade deaths of L. terrestris observed by Sheppard et al [7] might have been a result of NH 3 release from dying earthworms. Yeardley et al [9] suggested that this effect should be most marked at higher pH, when more NH 3 would be present as free NH 3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a later paper investigating the use of different reference toxicants in earthworm toxicity tests, Yeardley et al [9] noted the toxicity of NH 4 Cl to E. fetida and suggested that the cascade deaths of L. terrestris observed by Sheppard et al [7] might have been a result of NH 3 release from dying earthworms. Yeardley et al [9] suggested that this effect should be most marked at higher pH, when more NH 3 would be present as free NH 3 . An alternative explanation for the cascade deaths apparently not considered by Sheppard and Evenden [8] or Yeardley et al [9] is that 100% mortality really was from toxicity of the test soil, with concentrations in the soils at which 0% mortality occurred being nontoxic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yeardley et al [9] suggested that this effect should be most marked at higher pH, when more NH 3 would be present as free NH 3 . An alternative explanation for the cascade deaths apparently not considered by Sheppard and Evenden [8] or Yeardley et al [9] is that 100% mortality really was from toxicity of the test soil, with concentrations in the soils at which 0% mortality occurred being nontoxic. This could be because of large intervals between concentrations of potential toxicants in the test soils, the homogeneous response of the population of the test organism, or both.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Single versus multiple occupancy—effects on toxcityp parameters measured on Eisenia fetida in lead nitrate–treated soil

Currie

Hodson

Arnold

et al. 2005

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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The mortality (7 and 14 d), weight change (7 and 14 d), and metal uptake of Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826) kept in Pb(NO3)2-treated Kettering loam soil in single- and multiple-occupancy (10 earthworms) test containers were determined. The number of earthworms to dry mass (g) ratio of soil was 1:50 in both sets of test containers. Lead concentrations were in the nominal range of 0 to 10,000 mg Pb/kg soil (mg/kg hereafter). Levels of mortality at a given concentration were statistically identical between the single- and multiple-occupancy tests, except at 1,800 mg/kg, at which significantly (p < or = 0.05) more mortality occurred in the multiple-occupancy tests. Death of individual earthworms in the multiple-occupancy tests did not trigger death of the other earthworms in that soil. The LC50 values (concentration statistically likely to kill 50% of the population) were identical between the multiple- and single-occupancy soils: 2,662 mg/kg (2,598-2,984, 7 d) and 2,589 mg/kg (2,251-3,013, 14 d) for the multiple-occupancy soils and 2,827 mg/kg (2,443-3,168, both 7 and 14 d) for the single-occupancy soils (values in brackets represent the 95% confidence intervals). Data were insufficient to calculate the concentration statistically likely to reduce individual earthworm mass by 50% (EC50), but after 14 d, the decrease in earthworm weight in the 1,800 and 3,000 mg/kg tests was significantly greater in the multiple- than in the single-occupancy soils. At 1,000, 1,800, and 3,000 mg/kg tests, earthworm Pb tissue concentration was significantly (p < or = 0.05) greater in earthworms from the multiple-occupancy soils. The presence of earthworms increased the NH3 content of the soil; earthworm mortality increased NH3 concentrations further but not to toxic levels.

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Evaluation of Alternative Reference Toxicants for Use in the Earthworm Toxicity Test

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Biosolids‐Amended Soils: Part I. Effect of Biosolids Application on Soil Quality and Ecotoxicity

Biosolids‐Amended Soils: Part I. Effect of Biosolids Application on Soil Quality and Ecotoxicity

Comparison of the sensitivity of three nematode species to copper and their utility in aquatic and soil toxicity tests

Single versus multiple occupancy—effects on toxcityp parameters measured on Eisenia fetida in lead nitrate–treated soil

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