Validation of avoidance assays for the screening assessment of soils under different anthropogenic disturbances

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Sousa, A (Author) Other; Pereira, R (Author) Other; Antunes, SC (Author) Other; Cachada, A (Author) Other; Pereira, E (Author) Other; Duarte, AC (Author) Other; Goncalves, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

Vol. 71

Pages: 661-670

ISSN: 0147-6513

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 32 Citations

Scopus - 33 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-V2T

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2008.02.004

Abstract (EN): A chemical characterization of the soil compartment per se does not supply any information about the synergistic/antagonistic effects of mixtures of chemicals, resulting in an under- or overestimation of the risks. Therefore the existence of rapid and ecologically relevant toxicity assays becomes of paramount importance, allowing the evaluation of invertebrate's behavioural parameters with equal consequences in terms of functionality of the edaphic community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of avoidance assays, with the earthworm Eisenia andrei, in discriminating natural soils under different anthropogenic disturbances. Although earthworms were able to discriminate soils with similar contamination, it is nonetheless questionable whether the preference for some soils is determined by the reduced bioavailability of contaminants, the great affinity of the species for organic matter-rich soils, or the inability of chemoreceptors to detect some contaminants from complex environmental mixtures, usually present in natural contaminated soils.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10