The accumulation of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Ca) by two ecologically contrasting earthworm species (Lumbricus rubellus and Aporrectodea caliginosa): implications for ecotoxicological testing

Earthworms and in vitro physiologically-based extraction tests: complementary tools for a holistic approach towards understanding risk at arsenic-contaminated sites

“…This finding agrees with the suggestion by Morgan et al (1999) that no simple universal relationship exists between soil and earthworm arsenic concentrations. L. rubellus were reported to be less sensitive to mining derived contamination than other species (Spurgeon et al 1996).…”

Assessment and bioremediation of heavy metals from crude oil contaminated soil by earthworms

“…Some researchers has reported that bioaccumulation of heavy metals by earthworms is metal-specific (Marinussen et al, 1997), as well as earthworm species-specific (Morgan and Morgan, 1999;Hobbelen et al, 2006;Suthar et al, 2008). However, the difference in metal uptake and elimination kinetics between earthworm species is still unknown.…”

Earthworm Biomarkers as Tools for Soil Pollution Assessment

“…They accumulate efficiently and tolerate high tissue metal concentrations using a variety of sequestration mechanisms (Peijnenburg, 2002;Andre et al, 2009). Earthworms appear to have well-developed trafficking and storage pathways for heavy metals, particularly for essential trace metals such as Cu and Zn (Morgan & Morgan, 1999). Metals are primarily accumulated within the posterior alimentary canal of the earthworm when inhabiting heavy metal contaminated sites.…”