Bioaccumulation of Total Mercury and Monomethylmercury in the Earthworm Eisenia Fetida

Abstract

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Kinetics of Mercury Bioaccumulation in the Polychaete Hediste diversicolor and in the Bivalve Scrobicularia plana, Through a Dietary Exposure Pathway

“…To the best of our knowledge, there are few works dealing with mercury bioaccumulation kinetics; however, in the literature, some cases of bivalves, like Chlamys varia (Metian et al 2009) and Corbicula fluminea (Inza et al 1998), showed a linear pattern of mercury accumulation (through a solution pathway), which is in accordance with the present results. For polychaetes, no references regarding mercury bioaccumulation kinetics were found; only some studies performed with earthworms (Burton et al 2005) also revealed a linear pattern of bioaccumulation of total mercury.…”

Mercury distribution and speciation in floodplain soils and uptake into native earthworms (Diplocardia spp.)

“…However, total mercury in soils also affected the bioaccumulation factors. The bioaccumulation factor for earthworm to both total mercury and methylmercury became larger in the lower contaminated soils and became smaller in the higher mercury contaminated soils (Burton et al, 2006).…”

“…However, Zhang et al (2009) mercury in earthworms decreased with earthworm body length due to the growth dilution. Many factors affecting mercury bioaccumulation (BF), including mercury species, and the size and species of earthworms, existence of organic acids such as tannic acid, humic and fulvic acids and so on (Burton et al, 2006;Veiga, 2008, 2009;Zhang et al, 2009). In general, humic and fulvic acid and tannic acid increased bioaccumulation of mercury in earthworms due to the increase in dissolution of mercury from minerals or tailings Veiga, 2008, 2009).…”

“…Earthworms are key components in natural food chains, providing a food source for many small mammals, insects, fish, reptiles and birds. Many heavy metals including mercury could be bioaccumulated in earthworms and their bioaccumulation was strongly affected by metal speciation in soils, earthworm species and feeding sources (soil, leaf litter or root litter) (Burton et al, 2006;Ernst and Frey, 2007;Zhang et al, 2009). Earthworms had much higher bioaccumulation factor for methylmercury than for inorganic mercury (Burton et al, 2006;Zhang et al, 2009).…”

“…Many heavy metals including mercury could be bioaccumulated in earthworms and their bioaccumulation was strongly affected by metal speciation in soils, earthworm species and feeding sources (soil, leaf litter or root litter) (Burton et al, 2006;Ernst and Frey, 2007;Zhang et al, 2009). Earthworms had much higher bioaccumulation factor for methylmercury than for inorganic mercury (Burton et al, 2006;Zhang et al, 2009). Ernst and Frey (2007) reported that uptake of mercury from soil into earthworms was significantly higher than its uptake from leaf litter or root litter, indicating that soil mercury is the most important pool for mercury into earthworm food chain.…”