Toxicity of Nickel to the Earthworm and the Applicability of the Neutral Red Retention Assay |
| |
Authors: | Janeck J. Scott-Fordsmand Jason M. Weeks Stephen P. Hopkin |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Dept. Terrestrial Ecology, National Environmental Research Institute, Vejlsøvej 25, PO Box 314, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark;(2) Natural Environment Research Council, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE17 2LS, UK;(3) Division of Zoology, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, PO Box 228, Reading, RG6 6AJ, UK |
| |
Abstract: | The toxic effects of nickel on survival, growth, and reproduction of Eisenia veneta were investigated following 4 weeks of exposure to a nickel-chloride spiked loamy sand soil. The ability of a simple earthworm biomarker, the lysosomal membrane stability of coelomocytes, to reflect nickel exposure was also studied. Nickel caused a significant toxic effect on E.veneta at soil concentrations above 85 mg Ni/kg. Reproduction (cocoon production) was the most sensitive parameter being reduced at soil concentrations above 85 mg Ni/kg (EC10 = 85 mg Ni/kg). Survival of adults was only reduced at concentrations above 245 mg Ni/kg, while adult and cocoon wet weight were not affected by soil nickel concentrations up to 700 mg Ni/kg. The lysosomal membrane stability, measured as neutral-red retention time, was reduced at soil nickel concentrations similar to those that reduced reproduction, and demonstrated a dose-response relationship. The neutral-red retention time showed large individual variation for the earthworms within each exposure concentration. It was concluded that the lysosomal membrane stability, measured as neutral red retention time, has a potential role in risk assessment, but care should be taken conducting this test. |
| |
Keywords: | earthworm nickel soil toxicology eisenia veneta |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|