Earthworm avoidance behavior to antimicrobial sulfadiazine on tropical artificial soil

Abstract

Veterinary pharmaceuticals can reach the soil via animal excretions and cause impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this work, we employed a standardized avoidance behavior test to assess the sublethal effects of antimicrobial sulfadiazine on the earthworm Eisenia andrei. Cultivation of red worms was based on an alternative substrate made of mostly household vegetable wastes and dry leaves. The bioassays were performed with tropical artificial soil spiked with the tests substance at five different concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 mg sulfadiazine kg -1 . The outcome resulted in avoidance response of 30% (maximum) and a nonlinear concentration-response curve, differing from classical pollutant responses and correlating with those asymmetric responses over the environment caused by some rare xenobiotics. Avoidance tests were validated with reference substance, resulting in an EC50-48h of 819 mg boric acid kg -1 (628-1066 mg boric acid kg -1 95% confidence interval). We concluded that the avoidance test with E. andrei is useful as a standardized tool for a rapid ecotoxicological screening of soil.

Superoxide-imbalance Pharmacologically Induced by Rotenone Triggers Behavioral, Neural, and Inflammatory Alterations in the Eisenia fetida Earthworm

“…All experiments used clitellate animals. The chronic Rotenone-stressful assay was performed using a tropical artificial soil (TAS) that includes included fine white sand (70%), white clay (20%), and coconut fibbers powder (10%) [16].…”

“…This behavioral assay was performed according to standard ISO 17512-1 (2008). Briefly, two TAS soils were prepared with humidity of 60% using just LBBS or LBSS with the addition of boric acid (H3BO3) 750 mg / Kg -1 [16]. The polypropylene vessels of circular base (basal diameter: 10 cm, height: 8 cm, capacity: 0.350 L) containers were, in an upright position, filled with half of each type of TAS soil, separated by a partition and packed in BOD at 20ºC for better soil fixation for 2 hours.…”

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“…et al et al Among soil invertebrates, earthworms are relevant sentinels of environmental monitoring because of their role in soil functional services (Ezeani ., 2022). They also have the tendency et al to show observable behavioural responses as a result of the possible effect of the pollutant on their physiological and biochemical properties (Candello ., 2018) The biological based approaches of soil monitoring such as assessment of impact of chemical compounds on sentinel organisms have become a major important method for soil quality assessment (Kammenga ., 2000). Sentinel et al species are biological indicators that are used to evaluate potential hazards the presence of pollutant compounds could cause within an ecosystem and the possible effects on the health of the populations.…”

“…Ecotoxicological evaluation of xenobiotic chemical compounds on soil dwelling sentinel flora and fauna can provide insightful information of the effect of such pollutants on the structure and behavioural response of such sentinel organisms (Singh et al, 2021). Furthermore, impact of pollutant on habitat function of a particular sentinel species can also be deduced from ecotoxicological studies (Candello et al, 2018).…”