Earthworm

DDT is highly toxic to fish (LC q for trout and blue gill, 0.002—0.008 ppm), and it is only moderately toxic to birds (oral LD q mallard 1300 and pheasant >2240 mg/kg). However, widespread bird kills have resulted from bioconcentration of DDT through food chains, ie, from fish or earthworms. A significant environmental problem has resulted from the specific effects of DDE on eggshell formation in raptorial birds where accumulation has caused decreases in shell thickness of 10—15%, resulting in widespread breakage. 

Terrestrial toxicity (to plants, earthworms, bees, birds)... 

Regen-mass, n., -messer, m. rain gage, -menge, /, amount of rain, -schirm, m. umbrella, -schutz, m. protection against rain, -tropfen, m. raindrop, -wasser, n, rain water, -wurm, m. earthworm, -zeit, /, rainy season. 

Except for cysteine, only S amino acids occur in proteins. Several R amino acids are also found in nature, however. (ft)-Serine is found in earthworms, and (R)-alanine is found in insect larvae. Draw Fischer projections of (fl)-serine and (J )-alanine. Are these Don amino acids ... 

Wampler and Jamieson (1980) studied 12 species of luminous earthworms belonging to six genera (Diplocardia, Diplotrema, Fletcherodrilus, Octochaetus, Pontodrilus and Spenceriella) from the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and found that all of the species exude luminous coelomic fluid from their dorsal pores, except Pontodrilus bermudensis that exudes the fluid from the mouth. All of them emit luminescence of broad emission spectra with the peaks ranging from 500 nm to over 570 nm. 

Assays of earthworm luciferin and luciferase (Bellisario et al., 1972). The standard assay mixture contains luciferin, luciferase... 

Fig. 7.3.1 Absorption spectra of the luciferase of the earthworm Diplocardia (5mg/ml and 0.67mg/ml) in 50 mM potassium phosphate, pH 7.5. From Bellisario et al., 1972, with permission from the American Chemical Society.

Bellisario, R., and Cormier, M. J. (1971). Peroxide-linked bioluminescence catalyzed by a copper-containing, non-heme luciferase isolated from a bioluminescent earthworm. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 43 800-805. 

Mulkerrin, M. G., and Wampler, J. E. (1978). Assaying hydrogen peroxide using the earthworm bioluminescence system. Method. Enzymol. 57 375-381. 

Rudie, N. G. (1977). Studies of the physiology and chemistry of the biolumi-nescent earthworm. Diplocardia longa. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 

Wampler, J. E., and Jamieson, B. G. M. (1980). Earthworm bioluminescence comparative physiology and biochemistry. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 66B 43-50. 

Cypridina bioluminescence, 66, 69 firefly bioluminescence, 16 Diphyes, 334 Diplocardia, 335 Diplocardia longa, 216, 235, 240 Diplocardia luciferin, 235-238, 340, 342 See Earthworm luciferin Diplocladon, 337 Diplopoda (Millipedes), 307 Diplotrema, 235 Diptera, 1, 2, 25... 

Effects on terrestrial organisms are reported only for mixtures of mono- and dimethyltin compounds (50 50 and 25 75), with 14-day LC50 values of 320 and >1000 mg/kg (as chloride), respectively, in the earthworm (Eisenia foetida), respective NOECs were 100 and 1000 mg/kg (as chloride) (Wilbury, 1995a,b, 1996). 

Wilbury (1995a) Acute toxicity of mixed methyltin chlorides to the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Marblehead, MA, T.R. Wilbury Laboratories, Inc., 15 December (Study No. 860-MO). 

Turning to the acute toxicity of PAH, terrestrial organisms will be dealt with before considering aquatic organisms, to which somewhat different considerations apply. The acute toxicity of PAHs to mammals is relatively low. Naphthalene, for example, has a mean oral LD50 of 2700 mg/kg to the rat. Similar values have been found with other PAHs. LC50 values of 150 mg/kg and 170-210 mg/kg have been reported, for phenanthrene and fluorene, respectively, in the earthworm. The NOEL level for survival and reproduction in the earthworm was estimated to be 180 mg/ kg dry soil for benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, and benzoMfluoranthene (Enviromnental Health Criteria 202). 

---