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OJVRTM
Online Journal of Veterinary Research©
Volume
11(2):23-37, 2007
Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) as indicator
of heavy metals
in soils
Mahmoud HM
Department
of Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering,
ABSTRACT
Mahmoud HM Earthworm
(Lumbricus terrestris) as bioindicator of heavy metal in soil. Online J Vet Res 11(2):23-37, 2007.
The important role of
earthworms in the biomagnification of heavy metals in
terrestrial ecosystems and its role in the transfer of heavy metals toward
higher trophic levels are widely recognized. In the
present study the bioconcentration levels of
essential (Cu, Fe, and Zn) and non-essential (Cd, and
Pb) heavy metals were measured in soil and earthworm
(Lumbricus terrestris)
samples to evaluate soil contamination in different habitats and the validity
of earthworm as a bioindicator of soil contamination
and the selected ecosystems health status. Both soil and earthworms were
sampled from Abu Rawash (about 8 km to the North of Giza Governorate) representing areas polluted by
agricultural activities; Mostorod (about 10 Km to the
North of Cairo) representing area moderately polluted by industry to examine
whether earthworms populations originating from differently polluted terrestrial
habitats differ in their tendency to accumulate heavy metals or not. For each of the
metals, evidence suggests that bioconcentration
depends on the metal concentrations in the soil; bioconcentration
is greater at lower soil concentrations. Eearthworms’ collected from industrial area
exhibited different storage capacity and different concentration factors
(concentration in animal/concentration in soil), effective bioaccumulation of
some heavy metals by earthworm, revealed a strong influence from industrial
pollution on the biotic community. This study for the first time presents data
on the impact of 
heavy metal
pollution on earthworms in
KEY WORDS: Earthworms, soil, heavy metals, bioconcentration,