[Ecotoxicolgical effects of albendazole on Eisenia fetida]

By using artificial soil test, the effects of different concentration albendozole on Eisenia foetida's growth, survival, reproduction, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-sulfurtransferase (GST-S) and acetylcholine esterase (AchE) were studied. Low concentration (5 mg x kg(-1)) albendazole inhibited the reproduction of E. foetida significantly (P < 0.05), and 7 mg x kg(-1) of albendazole had significant effects on the growth and survival of E. foetida. When the albendazole concentration reached to 10 mg x kg(-1), the mortality of E. foetida was as high as 53%. There was a significant dose-response relationship between the exposure concentration of albendazole and the inhibition rate of E. foetida's growth and reproduction. After 21 days' albendazole exposure, the SOD and GST-S activities were affected significantly, but no significant dose-response relationship was observed. Albendazole exposure had less effects on AchE activity. In sum, albendazole had direct toxicity on soil animals, with a potential ecological risk.