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Effects of Soil Amendments on the Bioavailability of Lead, Zinc, and Cadmium to Earthworms
Author(s) -
Pearson Mark S.,
Maenpaa Kimmo,
Pierzynski Gary M.,
Lydy Michael J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2000.00472425002900050031x
Subject(s) - bioavailability , eisenia fetida , earthworm , environmental chemistry , chemistry , bioaccumulation , amendment , cadmium , soil water , environmental remediation , soil contamination , bioassay , organic matter , zinc , contamination , environmental science , agronomy , ecology , soil science , biology , bioinformatics , organic chemistry , political science , law
This research investigated the effectiveness of phosphorus (P) and organic matter (OM) as possible in situ remediation techniques for metal contaminated soils. The study was designed to determine the bioavailability of Pb, Zn, and Cd individually and in combination to the earthworm Eisenia fetida in an artificial soil amended with varying levels of P and OM. A toxicokinetic approach using bioaccumulation factors and uptake rate coefficients was used to assess the bioavailability of the heavy metals. Overall, earthworms in P‐amended soils showed significantly reduced Pb levels in the individual and mixture experiments, while Zn and Cd bioavailability was not reduced. X‐ray diffraction analyses indicated that pyromorphites were formed with P amendment, thereby reducing the solubility and bioavailability of Pb within the soil. In contrast, the OM soil amendments increased bioavailability of Pb in the individual experiment and decreased it in the mixture experiment. The results of this study suggest that P amendments may be a viable technique to remediate Pb contaminated residential soils and that earthworm bioassays represent a biologically relevant measure of metal availability in soil.