Abstract
Oligochaete earthworms are functionally important in terrestrial ecosystems as primary decomposers, as food organisms for many avian and mammalian organisms and as intermediates in nutrient cycling process [1]. In terms of biomass earthworms are usually the predominant component of the soil fauna with 10–200 g fresh weight per square metre [2]. The potential toxicity of chemicals for earthworms provides a useful parameter when attempting to determine soil quality criteria for ecological risk assessment of contaminated sites. An acute toxicity test using a litter-dwelling species (Eisenia fetidd) has been accepted as OECD Guideline No. 207 [3]. Individual researchers have also reported chronic toxicity tests on earthworms [4, 5].
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© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Bhatt, M., Szolar, O., Braun, R., Loibner, A.P. (2003). Ecotoxicological Evaluation of PAH-Contaminated Soil Using Earthworms. In: Šašek, V., Glaser, J.A., Baveye, P. (eds) The Utilization of Bioremediation to Reduce Soil Contamination: Problems and Solutions. NATO Science Series, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0131-1_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0131-1_16
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