Exposure assessment to glyphosate of two species of annelids

Adult mortality, biomass, fecundity and viability of cocoons were studied in Eisenia fetida and Octolasion tyrtaeum, in response to glyphosate exposure in soil. Exposure tests were carried out following USEPA procedure, with five concentrations of glyphosate in soil and a control. O. tyrtaeum was more sensitive to the highest concentration of glyphosate (50,000 mg kg(-1)), with 100 % mortality by day 7 of exposure, compared with 71 % for E. fetida. Although biomass of O. tyrtaeum was significantly different between the control and 5,000 mg kg(-1) dose at day 14, E. fetida was not affected at that concentration, and only showed a significant weight loss after 7 days of exposure to 50,000 mg kg(-1). Adverse effects upon adult fecundity and cocoon viability were observed at glyphosate concentrations of 5,000 mg kg(-1) and above. Adverse effects were observed at concentrations that greatly exceeded the recommended field application rates of glyphosate.