Metal accumulation in the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Model predictions compared to field data

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2007-03, Vol.146 (2), p.428-436
• Main Authors: Veltman, Karin, Huijbregts, Mark A.J., Vijver, Martina G., Peijnenburg, Willie J.G.M., Hobbelen, Peter H.F., Koolhaas, Josee E., van Gestel, Cornelis A.M., van Vliet, Petra C.J., Jan Hendriks, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; bioaccumulation; Bioaccumulation model; bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium - pharmacokinetics; Copper - analysis; Copper - pharmacokinetics; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; equilibrium ratios; Field data; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects. Techniques; heavy-metals; Lead - analysis; Lead - pharmacokinetics; Lumbricus rubellus; Metal; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - pharmacokinetics; Methods and techniques (sampling, tagging, trapping, modelling...); Models, Biological; Oligochaeta - chemistry; Oligochaeta - metabolism; rate constants; Soil - analysis; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; soils; species weight; water; zinc; Zinc - analysis; Zinc - pharmacokinetics
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.06.033

The mechanistic bioaccumulation model OMEGA (Optimal Modeling for Ecotoxicological Applications) is used to estimate accumulation of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Our validation to field accumulation data shows that the model accurately predicts internal cadmium concentrations. In addition, our results show that internal metal concentrations in the earthworm are less than linearly (slope < 1) related to the total concentration in soil, while risk assessment procedures often assume the biota-soil accumulation factor (BSAF) to be constant. Although predicted internal concentrations of all metals are generally within a factor 5 compared to field data, incorporation of regulation in the model is necessary to improve predictability of the essential metals such as zinc and copper. Earthworm metal concentrations are less than linearly related to total soil concentrations and predicted pore water concentrations.