Correlation of Lethal Concentrations of Heavy Metals with Tissue Levels of Earthworms

摘要

The objectives of this research are: To establish the LC50 of the heavy metals cadmium, copper, arsenic and mercury as well as a Cu/Cd mixture in a ratio equal to LC50 Cd/LC50 Cu, employing a chemically defined medium such as 'Aristol'; To improve procedures for heavy metal bioavailability studies in the field; To improve/develop test procedures using a chemically defined medium and 'food' in 28-day uptake studies; To analyze the tissues of the surviving test earthworms as well as those from media of lesser concentrations, blanks and background worm stock; To relate the LC50 concentrations of contaminants with the tissue contaminant levels in the earthworms utilized in the toxicity test; and To develop first generation interpretations relating soil contaminant levels and bioavailability, and to interpret the fate and transport of heavy metal contaminants. (AW)