Ref ID : 7158
Angelique C. Belfroid and Dick T.H.M. Sijm; Influence of Soil Organic Matter Content on Elimination Rates of Hydrophobic Compounds in the Earthworm: Possible Causes and Consequences. Chemosphere 37(7):1221-1234, 1998
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In theory, elimination of organic hydrophobic compounds by terrestrial and aquatic organisms is a partitioning process determined by the elimination rate constant and the concentration of the compound in the organism, and usually results in a monophasic elimination curve. However, in the presence of sediment and soil, biphasic elimination is frequently observed. In this study, the underlying mechanism of this biphasic elimination is investigated with a terrestrial species. Elimination was studied in earthworms (Eisenia andrei), that were loaded with chlorobenzenes, in three types of clean OECD soil differing only in organic matter content (3%, 10% and 20%). It was observed that the first rapid elimination phase was influenced by the organic matter content in the soil: A larger part of the chlorobenzene body burden was eliminated in this first phase when earthworms were kept in soil with a higher organic matter content. In low organic matter soil, body burdens in earthworms remained higher during the whole elimination period. The rate of both the elimination phases was not influenced by the organic matter content in the soil. It is concluded that the organic matter content in soil is an influential factor in the elimination of hydrophobic compounds by earthworms, for which some explanations can be given.