Ref ID : 6951
R.E. Karnak and J.L. Hamelink; A Standardized Method for Determining the Acute Toxicity of Chemicals to Earthworms. Ecotoxicol. & Environ.Safety 6:216-222, 1982
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A simple procedure for assaying the acute toxicity of chemical compounds to earthworms is presented. Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) were exposed to standardized test media composed of water, nonsterile sandy loam soil, and different concentrations of rabbit feces (food) ranging from 0 to 100 g/kg. General physical condition of the worms, weight changes, and mortality were the criteria used to evaluate the different media. The greatest percentage increase in group body weights, with no mortalities, occurred in the test medium containing 50 g of food per kilogram of medium. This medium was then evaluated using Benomyl. The 7- and 14-day LC50+/-SE of Benomyl were found to be 1.704+/-0.776 and 0.423+/-0.087 ppm, respectively.