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Ref ID : 7018

Angelique Belfroid, Marieke Sikkenk, Willem Seinen, Kees van Gestel, and Joop Hermens; The Toxicokinetic behavior of Chlorobenzenes in Earthworm (Eisenia andrei) Experiments in Soil. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 13:93-99, 1994

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The toxicokinetic behavior of some chlorobenzenes in earthworms (Eisenia andrei) kept in soil was studied. To determine elimination kinetics, worms were exposed to chlorobenzenes for 7 days, followed by a depuration period of 15 or 35 days. Elimination of chlorobenzenes by earthworms kept in soil was best fitted using a bi-exponential elimination curve. The half-life belonging to the slow phase was in good agreement with measured elimination half-lives for the same compounds by earthworms kept in water. Accumulation of chlorobenzens in earthworms was studied by exposure over 50 days. Equilibrium was rapidly achieved within 7 days. BAFs based on the concentration in soil and on the concentration in the interstitial water were calculated. BAFs of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene in earthworms kept in soil and BCFs in earthworms kept in water were comparable, demonstrating that uptake proceeds mainy via the interstitial water. For hexachlorobenzene, the BAF was much larger than the BCF, which suggests that intestinal uptake for this compound is an important complementary route.