Abstract
The objective of the study was to evaluate the toxicity of trace elements to earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in recreational and military shooting range soils. The earthworms were exposed to soils; then mortality, growth, and reproduction endpoints were determined. In the recreational shooting range, the total Pb concentration was 6151 mg kg−1 and in the soil of the impact berm of the military shooting range, it was 653 mg kg−1. These Pb contaminated soils caused significantly higher mortality, weight loss and lower reproduction than the reference grassland soil. The most sensitive indicator was reproduction rate – a significantly lower cocoon production was found in shooting range soils than in reference soil. The soil organic matter content and bulk density also influenced survival of earthworms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aleagha MM, Ebadi AG (2011) Study of heavy metals bioaccumulation in the process of vermicomposting. Afr J Biotechnol 10:6997–7001
Ali H, Khan E, Ilahi I (2019) Environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology of hazardous heavy metals: environmental persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. J Chem 2019:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/6730305
Beylich A, Oberholzer H-R, Schrader S et al (2010) Evaluation of soil compaction effects on soil biota and soil biological processes in soils. Soil Tillage Res 109:133–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2010.05.010
Booth L, Palasz F, Darling C et al (2003) The effect of lead-contaminated soil from canadian prairie skeet ranges on the neutral red retention assay and fecundity in the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Environ Toxicol Chem 22:2446. https://doi.org/10.1897/02-582
Chao G, Jingbo X, Ji L, Zhengtao L (2016) Biological responses in the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to soils near a typical lead acid battery plant. Soil Sediment Contam Int J 25:573–585. https://doi.org/10.1080/15320383.2016.1184619
Craig JR, Rimstidt JD, Bonnaffon CA et al (1999) Surface water transport of lead at a shooting range. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 63:312–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001289900982
Demmeler M, Nowak D, Schierl R (2009) High blood lead levels in recreational indoor-shooters. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82:539–542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0348-7
Giulia M, Calisi A, Schettino T (2012) Earthworm biomarkers as tools for soil pollution assessment. In: Soil health and land use management. InTech, pp 305–332
Hardisonjr D, Ma L, Luongo T, Harris W (2004) Lead contamination in shooting range soils from abrasion of lead bullets and subsequent weathering. Sci Total Environ 328:175–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2003.12.013
HN 60:2004 (2004) Lithuanian Hygiene Standard HN 60:2004 Maximum permitted concentrations of hazardous chemical substances in soil, Valstybės Žinios [State news], 2004-03-17, 41–1357 (in Lithuanian)
Islam MN, Nguyen XP, Jung H-Y, Park J-H (2016) Chemical speciation and quantitative evaluation of heavy metal pollution hazards in two army shooting range backstop soils. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 96:179–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-015-1689-z
Kaur G, Hundal SS (2016) Effect of heavy metals on the survival, growth and development of earthworm Eisenia fetida. J Appl Nat Sci 8:208–212. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v8i1.774
Kelebemang R, Dinake P, Sehube N et al (2017) Speciation and mobility of lead in shooting range soils. Chem Speciat Bioavailab 29:143–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/09542299.2017.1349552
Knechtenhofer LA, Xifra IO, Scheinost AC et al (2003) Fate of heavy metals in a strongly acidic shooting-range soil: small-scale metal distribution and its relation to preferential water flow. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 166:84–92. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200390017
Laidlaw MAS, Filippelli G, Mielke H et al (2017) Lead exposure at firing ranges—a review. Environ Health 16:34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-017-0246-0
Lawrence MJ, Stemberger HLJ, Zolderdo AJ et al (2015) The effects of modern war and military activities on biodiversity and the environment. Environ Rev 23:443–460. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2015-0039
Luo W, Verweij RA, van Gestel CAM (2014) Determining the bioavailability and toxicity of lead contamination to earthworms requires using a combination of physicochemical and biological methods. Environ Pollut 185:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.017
Nesterkova DV, Vorobeichik EL, Reznichenko IS (2014) The effect of heavy metals on the soil-earthworm-European mole food chain under the conditions of environmental pollution caused by the emissions of a copper smelting plant. Contemp Probl Ecol 7:587–596. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995425514050096
OECD Test No. 222 (2004) Earthworm Reproduction Test (Eisenia fetida/Eisenia andrei). In: OECD guidelines for the testing of chemicals, Section 2
Okkenhaug G, Smebye AB, Pabst T et al (2018) Shooting range contamination: mobility and transport of lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and antimony (Sb) in contaminated peatland. J Soils Sediments 18:3310–3323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-017-1739-8
Rodríguez-Seijo A, Cachada A, Gavina A et al (2017) Lead and PAHs contamination of an old shooting range: a case study with a holistic approach. Sci Total Environ 575:367–377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.018
Sanderson P, Naidu R, Bolan N (2014) Ecotoxicity of chemically stabilised metal(loid)s in shooting range soils. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 100:201–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.11.003
Sanderson P, Qi F, Seshadri B et al (2018) Contamination, fate and management of metals in shooting range soils—a review. Curr Pollut Rep 4:175–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-018-0089-5
Sharma V, Sharma R, Satyanarayan S (2011) Biokinetic modeling of heavy metals in earthworms. Toxicol Environ Chem 93:474–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/02772248.2010.545210
Sivakumar S (2015) Effects of metals on earthworm life cycles: a review. Environ Monit Assess 187:530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4742-9
Sorvari J (2011) Shooting ranges: environmental contamination. In: Encyclopedia of environmental health. Elsevier, pp 41–50
Spurgeon DJ, Hopkin SP (1996) Effects of metal-contaminated soils on the growth, sexual development, and early cocoon production of the earthworm Eisenia fetida, with particular reference to zinc. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 35:86–95. https://doi.org/10.1006/eesa.1996.0085
Stauffer M, Pignolet A, Corcho Alvarado JA (2017) Persistent mercury contamination in shooting range soils: the legacy from former primers. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 98:14–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1976-3
Tchounwou PB, Yedjou CG, Patlolla AK, Sutton DJ (2012) Heavy metal toxicity and the environment. In: EXS. pp 133–164
van Gestel CAM, Koolhaas JE, Hamers T et al (2009) Effects of metal pollution on earthworm communities in a contaminated floodplain area: linking biomarker, community and functional responses. Environ Pollut 157:895–903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2008.11.002
Wilson C, Brigmon RL, Knox A et al (2006) Effects of microbial and phosphate amendments on the bioavailability of lead (Pb) in shooting range soil. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 76:392–399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-006-0934-x
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sujetovienė, G., Česynaitė, J. Assessment of Toxicity to Earthworm Eisenia fetida of Lead Contaminated Shooting Range Soils with Different Properties. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 103, 559–564 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-019-02695-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-019-02695-x