Eisenia

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). 

Tin concentrations in algae collected near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Calif, and in coastal marine sediments from Narragansett Bay, USA, were determined by Hodge and coworkers42. Tin concentrations of the blades of Pelagophycus porra, Macrocystis pyrifera and Eisenia arborea were 0.71 0.01, 0.83 0.01 and 1.06 0.02 i-gSng 1 dry wt., respectively. Tin concentrations in the core of sediments are shown in Table 8. 

Hartenstein, R., E.F. Neuhauser, and J. Collier. 1980. Accumulation of heavy metals in the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Jour. Environ. Qual. 9 23-26. 

No evidence of copper deficiency exists in terrestrial species of invertebrates examined. However, relatively low concentrations of copper stimulated growth and reproduction. Reproduction in mites (Platynothrus peltifer) increases when fed diets containing 28 mg Cu/kg DW (vs. 13 mg/kg in controls) for 3 months (Denneman and van Straalen 1991). Also, juveniles of earthworms (Eisenia andrei) show increased growth at 18 mg Cu/kg DW soil after 12 weeks (van Gestel et al. 1991). 

Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) held in soils containing 53 mg Cu/kg DW show a 50% reduction in cocoon production in 56 days 32 mg Cu/kg soil had no effect on cocoon production (Spurgeon et al. 1994). The LC50 (56 days) value for earthworms is 555 mg Cu/kg DW soil no deaths occur at 210 mg/kg soil during this period. Copper is more toxic to Eisenia fetida than are salts of cadmium, zinc, or lead (Spurgeon et al. 1994). Copper adversely affects the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus (Ma 1984). Concentrations of 150 mg Cu/kg surface soil from an accidental spill of copper... 

Netherlands 1994 Rhine-Meuse Delta vs. reference site Earthworm, Eisenia rosea whole, Illinois ... 

Methylmercury compounds at concentrations of 25.0 mg Hg/kg in soil were fatal to all tiger worms (Eisenia foetida) in 12 weeks at 5.0 mg/kg, however, only 21% died in a similar period (Beyer et al. 1985). Inorganic mercury compounds were also toxic to earthworms (Octochaetus pattoni) in 60 days, 50% died at soil Hg levels of 0.79 mg/kg, and all died at 5.0 mg/kg (Abbasi and Soni 1983). 

Methylmercury compounds have induced abnormal sex chromosomes in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) (NAS 1978 Khera 1979). Earthworms (Eisenia foetida) exposed to soil containing methylmercury concentrations of 5.0 mg Hg/kg — typical of soil Hg levels near chloralkali plants — showed a significant reduction in the number of segments regenerated after 12 weeks, and contained... 

Beyer, W.N., E. Cromartie, and G.B. Moment. 1985. Accumulation of methylmercury in the earthworm, Eisenia foetida, and its effect on regeneration. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 35 157-162. 

Data on nickel toxicity to terrestrial invertebrates are scarce. A soil concentration of 757 mg/kg DW soil is lethal to 50% of earthworms (Eisenia foetida) in 14 days, and higher concentrations of 1200 to 12,000 mg/kg DW soil for shorter periods produced reduced growth and survival in the same species (WHO 1991). Earthworms are less sensitive to nickel if the medium is rich in microorganisms and organic matter, thus, making the nickel less bioavailable (WHO 1991). 

Earthworm, Eisenia foetida 10-12 pg Zn/cm2 applied to epidermis 662 mg Zn/kg artificial soil (95% confidence interval 574-674)... 

Neuhauser, E.F., R.C. Loehr, D.L. Milligan, and M.R. Malecki. 1985. Toxicity of metals to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Biol. Fertil. Soils 1 149-152. 

Anton, F.A., E. Laborda, P. Laborda, and E. Ramos. 1993b. Carbofuran acute toxicity to Eisenia foetida Savigny. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 50 407-412. 

Gilman, A.P and A. Vardanis. 1974. Carbofuran. Comparative toxicity and metabolism in the worms Lumbricus terrestris L. and Eisenia foetida S. Jour. Agric. Food Chem. 22 625-628. 

Pentachlorophenol applied to beech forest soils every 2 months for 2 years at the rate of 1.0 g/m2 markedly reduced populations of soil organisms. At 5.0 g/m2, it drastically reduced most of the soil animal species and also the microflora (Zietz et al. 1987). Reduction of the soil metabolism by PCP retards decomposition and affects the overall nutrient balance of forest ecosystems (Zietz et al. 1987). Pentachlorophenol is more toxic to earthworms in soils with comparatively low levels of organic materials. The LC50 (14-day) value for Lumbricus rubellus was 1094 mg PCP/kg DW soils with 6.1% organic matter, and 883 mg/kg DW soils with 3.7% organic matter (Van Gestel and Ma 1988). The earthworm Eisenia fetida andrei is more sensitive than Lumbricus rubellus ... 

Compound 1080 was also effective against jackrabbits, foxes, and moles. Baits containing 0.05 to 0.1% 1080 on vegetables were used in California to kill jackrabbits (Lepus spp.) and various rodents (Schitoskey 1975). The Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), intentionally introduced onto the Aleutian Islands in 1835 (Bailey 1993), almost eliminated the Aleutian Canada goose (Branta canadensis leucoparlia) by 1967. 1080-tallow baits were successfully used to control fox populations (Byrd et al. 1988 Tietjen et al. 1988 Bailey 1993). Earthworm baits are used to kill moles. The earthworms are soaked for 45 min in a 2.5% solution of 1080 and placed in mole burrows. The solution can be used several times for additional lots of worms however, the use of the manure worm (Eisenia foetida) should be avoided because it is seldom eaten by moles (Peacock 1964). 

Sauve, S. and Fournier, M., Age-specific immunocompetence of the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposure to methylmercury chloride, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety, 60, 67, 2005. 

De-Nardo EAB, Sinderman A, Grewal SK, Grewal PS. Non-susceptibility of earthworm Eisenia fetida to the rhabditid nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, a biocontrol agent of slugs. Biocont Sci Technol. 2004 14 93-98. 

Scott-Fordsmand, J. J., Weeks, J. M. and Hopkin, S. P. (2000). Importance of contamination history for understanding toxicity of copper to earthworm Eisenia fetica (Oligochaeta annelida) using neutral-red retention assay, Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 19, 1774-1780. 

Neuhauser EF, Loehr RC, Malecki MR, Milligan DL, Durkin PR. The toxicity of selected organic chemicals to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. J. Environ. Qual. 1985 14 383-388. 

LC50 (contact) for earthworm Eisenia fetida) 49 pg/cm (Neuhauser et al, 1985). 

LC50 for goldfish 1.8 mL/kg (quoted, Verschueren, 1983), 89.7 and 164 mg/L (soil porewater concentration) for earthworm Eisenia andrei) and 252 and 482 mg/L (soil porewater concentration) for earthworm Lumbricus rubellus) (Van Gestel and Ma, 1993). 

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