The toxicity of copper contaminated soil using a gnotobiotic Soil Multi-species Test System (SMS)

A gnotobiotic multi-species study was designed to consist of a food-web of soil-dwelling animals. The food-web was exposed to five concentrations copper (Cu) spiked soil for three exposure durations i.e. 28, 56 and 84 days. Based on multivariate analysis the food-web was significantly affected by Cu exposure at and above 300 mg Cu kg(-1) soil (lowest tested concentration). The number of animals present in the 2500 mg Cu kg(-1) (highest tested concentration) was at all sampling occasions below the starting point level. Based on analysis of the individual species the lowest 10% effect concentration (EC10) observed was 50 mg Cu kg(-1) soil, for Enchytraeus crypticus. Using the EC10 for the individual species the HC5 (Hazard Concentration at the 5% level) was estimated to be between 25 and 36 mg Cu kg(-1) soil, depending on the exposure duration. A similar experiment but using a reduced design was performed employing soil contaminated with Cu in the field more than 80 years ago. The trend in the field-contaminated soil was similar to that observed for the spiked soil.