Toxicokinetics of Zn and Cd in the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to metal-contaminated soils under different combinations of air temperature and soil moisture content

M. Nazaret González-Alcaraz*, Susana Loureiro, Cornelis A.M. van Gestel

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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    Abstract

    This study evaluated how different combinations of air temperature (20 °C and 25 °C) and soil moisture content (50% and 30% of the soil water holding capacity, WHC), reflecting realistic climate change scenarios, affect the bioaccumulation kinetics of Zn and Cd in the earthworm Eisenia andrei. Earthworms were exposed for 21 d to two metal-contaminated soils (uptake phase), followed by 21 d incubation in non-contaminated soil (elimination phase). Body Zn and Cd concentrations were checked in time and metal uptake (k1) and elimination (k2) rate constants determined; metal bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was calculated as k1/k2. Earthworms showed extremely fast uptake and elimination of Zn, regardless of the exposure level. Climate conditions had no major impacts on the bioaccumulation kinetics of Zn, although a tendency towards lower k1 and k2 values was observed at 25 °C + 30% WHC. Earthworm Cd concentrations gradually increased with time upon exposure to metal-contaminated soils, especially at 50% WHC, and remained constant or slowly decreased following transfer to non-contaminated soil. Different combinations of air temperature and soil moisture content changed the bioaccumulation kinetics of Cd, leading to higher k1 and k2 values for earthworms incubated at 25 °C + 50% WHC and slower Cd kinetics at 25 °C + 30% WHC. This resulted in greater BAFs for Cd at warmer and drier environments which could imply higher toxicity risks but also of transfer of Cd within the food chain under the current global warming perspective.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)26-32
    Number of pages7
    JournalChemosphere
    Volume197
    Early online date8 Jan 2018
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Apr 2018

    Funding

    The authors acknowledge funding to the GLOBALTOX project through the Research Executive Agency (REA-European Commission) under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015/H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, Project ID 704332 ). We thank Rudo A. Verweij from the Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) for his valuable contribution to the laboratory work.

    FundersFunder number
    Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
    H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions704332, H2020-MSCA-IF-2015/H2020-MSCA-IF-2015

      Keywords

      • Bioaccumulation
      • Bioavailability
      • Climate change
      • Heavy metals
      • Mining wastes
      • Soil invertebrates

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