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Avoidance behavior of Eisenia fetida in oxytetracycline- and heavy metal-contaminated soils
Minling Gao1, Mengting Lv2, Meng Han3
1School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Polytechnic University, No. 399 Binshui Western Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin 300387, China; State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, Tianjin Polytechnic University, No. 399 Binshui Western Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin, 300387, China.
Abstract:
To determine the behavior of oxytetracycline (OTC) and heavy metals in soil, this study assessed the pollutant-induced avoidance behavior of earthworms (E. fetida) exposed to zinc (Zn2+), lead (Pb2+), and OTC in soil. The results showed a clear avoidance response within 48h of exposure to the highest concentrations of pollutants. Moreover, E. fetida was shown to be more sensitive to Zn2+ than to Pb2+ and OTC. Compared with OTC alone, the net response of earthworms increased in the OTC-Zn2+ and OTC-Pb2+ combined treatments, indicating a synergistic effect. Moreover, the net response (NR) of the earthworms was higher for OTC-Zn2+ than it was for OTC-Pb2+, possibly reflecting the differences in essential characteristics of Zn and Pb.
