Use of earthworms as a pesticide exposure indicator in soils under conventional and organic management

Abstract

The intensive use of agricultural soils reveals the massive application of agrochemicals. There is no follow-up of the presence of pesticide residues in soil or their toxic effects on organisms that are beneficial for agrosystems, such as earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris L.) The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pesticides used in horticultural orchards on earthworms, and the use of earthworms as an indicator through carboxylesterase (CbE) activity, which is an enzyme involved in the detoxification metabolism of organophosphorus, carbamates, and pyrethroids. Eight individuals were place in each polyethylene container and the container were buried under the soil surface in two apple orchards, one under organic management and the other under conventional management. The experiment was carried out in triplicate. A control treatment was conducted in the laboratory. The experiment was repeated in autumn, winter, spring, and summer of the 2014-2015 study period. Three internal gut tissues of the earthworm were measured for CbE activity in the laboratory. Results showed higher CbE activity in the crop-gizzard of the control treatment with 14.22 ± 1.00 µmol min -1 mg -1 in winter; the lowest activity was recorded in soil under conventional management in summer with 6.15 ± 2.77 µmol min -1 mg -1 (p ≤ 0.05). There was a seasonal difference in enzymatic activity that was higher in winter and autumn with 14.22 and 13.93 µmol min -1 mg -1, respectively, and lower in summer and spring with 6.15 and 6.31 µmol min -1 mg -1 (p ≤ 0.05), respectively; enzymatic activity was associated with higher pesticide application. It can be concluded that CbE activity is sensitive to the inhibitory action of pesticides and can therefore be used as a biological indicator of agrochemicals.

Assessment of the acute toxicity of agrochemicals on earthworm (Aporrectodea caliginosa) using filter paper contact and soil mixing tests

“…Application of simazine and isoproturon have no toxic effect on earthworms (Lydy and Linck 2003;Mosleh et al 2003). Toxicity of tested pesticides depends on different factors such as soil type (Raj and Syriac 2017), pesticide type (Roberts and Dorough 1984), tested concentrations (Martin 1982), exposure time (Singh and Singh 2015), effects by dermal exposure or ingestion and effects by contact toxicity or soil mixing toxicity (Mosleh et al 2003;Araneda et al 2016). In general, the acute toxicity test has been traditionally applied to assess the toxicity of soil contamination to earthworms (Fouad 2021;Fouad et al 2023).…”

Characterization of Earthworms (Lumbriscus terestris) Population Under Several Area of Shallots Cultivation

“…Tribrata et al, (2015) stated that the relative density of earthworms is lower in locations exposed to pesticides (mankozeb 0.035 mg / kg and propineb 0.014 mg / kg) than land not exposed to pesticides. Araneda et al (2016) added that high carboxylesterase enzym (CbE) in earthworms is an indicator of pesticide exposure.…”

Biotechnology of Organic Animal Waste Processing Based on<i> Eisenia Fetida</i> (Savigny, 1826)

“…Although earthworm species are well studied, there are still unexplored species in tropical regions (Brown et al, 2013). In tropical and subtropical regions, vermicomposting with earthworms is well established (Araneda et al, 2016). In studies, the amount of antioxidants increased in the soil treated with compost mixtures, and the soil structure was improved (Mixtures et al, 2022).…”