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Why does earthworm mucus decrease metal mobility?
Author(s) -
Sizmur Tom,
PalumboRoe Barbara,
Hodson Mark E
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
integrated environmental assessment and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1551-3793
pISSN - 1551-3777
DOI - 10.1002/ieam.124
Subject(s) - biota , earthworm , soil biology , lumbricus terrestris , environmental science , environmental chemistry , lumbricus rubellus , soil water , biogeochemical cycle , organic matter , ecology , chemistry , biology , soil science
The mining and smelting of metals, application of sewage sludge and other industrial activities have increased the concentrations of metals in many soils throughout the world. It is therefore necessary to assess the risk of these metals causing harm to human health and biota. The methods currently used to do this often involve collecting, drying and storing samples and then carrying out analyses based on chemical extractions abiotically or bioassays on individual organisms, with little consideration for the relationship between soil biota and metal mobility. Soil is not a 2mm sieved, abiotic, homogeneous medium and there is therefore no reason to treat it as such during risk assessment of contaminants.