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Protecting the structure and functioning of soil ecosystems is one of the central aims of current regulations of chemicals. This is, for instance, shown by the emphasis on the protection of key drivers and ecosystem services as proposed in the protection goal options for soil organisms by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Such targets require insight into soil biodiversity, its role in the functioning of ecosystems, and the way it responds to stress. Also required are tools and methodologies for properly assessing biodiversity. To address these issues, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe 14 th Special Science Symposium (SESSS14) was held 19 to 20 November 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. The central aim of the SESSS14 was to provide information on how to include soil biodiversity and soil functions as protection goal options in the risk assessment and quantification of the effects of chemicals and other stressors (including their respective regulations). This paper is based on the presentations and discussions at the SESSS14 and will give a brief update on the scientific state-of-the art on soil biodiversity, novel scientific developments, experimental and modeling approaches, as well as case studies. It will also discuss how these approaches could inform future risk assessment of chemicals and other stressors in the regulatory context of protecting soil ecosystems. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:541-551. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)., (© 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).)

The soil-living mite Oppia nitens Koch has recently been proposed as a promising test species for the ecotoxicological risk assessment of contaminated boreal soils. Adding oribatid mites to the assemblage of test species for soil is highly desirable given the enormous diversity and ecological significance of these microarthropods. The authors aimed at revealing how toxicity, lethal body concentration, and bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) changed over a period of 7 wk when mites were exposed to Cd-spiked natural soils. The estimated median lethal concentration (LC50) values showed a gradual decrease with time, but a steady state was not reached within 7 wk. Estimates for lethal body concentration varied from 44 μg Cd/g to 91 μg Cd/g dry body weight, with a tendency to increase with time. The estimated 50% effective concentration (EC50) for effects on reproduction after 7-wk exposure was 345 μg Cd/g dry soil. Accumulation of Cd in mites was extremely variable but overall showed a nonsaturating increase. A simple 1-compartment toxicokinetic model did not describe the data well. The analysis suggests that O. nitens has a storage-detoxification strategy that is not at equilibrium under chronic exposure. Considering the tiny body size of the animal, it is remarkable that long exposure times are necessary to reveal chronic toxicity. The use of oribatids provides a clear added value to soil risk assessment but trades off with exposure length. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:408-413. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC., (© 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.)

To assess the influence of soil properties and aging on the availability and toxicity of zinc (Zn) applied as nanoparticles (Zn oxide [ZnO]-NPs) or as Zn 2+ ions (Zn chloride [ZnCl 2 ]), 3 natural soils were individually spiked with either ZnO-NPs or ZnCl 2 and incubated for up to 6 mo. Available Zn concentrations in soil were measured by porewater extraction (ZnPW), whereas earthworms (Eisenia andrei) were exposed to study Zn bioavailability. Porewater extraction concentrations were lower when Zn was applied as NPs compared to the ionic form and decreased with increasing soil pH. For both Zn forms and Zn-PW values were affected by aging, but they varied among the tested soils, highlighting the influence of soil properties. Internal Zn concentration in the earthworms (ZnE) was highest for the soil with high organic carbon content (5.4%) and basic pH (7.6) spiked with Zn-NPs, but the same soil spiked with ZnCl 2 showed the lowest increase in ZnE compared to the control. Survival, weight change, and reproduction of the earthworms were affected by both Zn forms; but differences in toxicity could not be explained by soil properties or aging. This shows that ZnO-NPs and ZnCl 2 behave differently in soils depending on soil properties and aging processes, but differences in earthworm toxicity remain unexplained. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:137-146. © 2016 SETAC., (© 2016 SETAC.)

The bioavailability of metals in soil is a dynamic process. For a proper extrapolation to the field of laboratory studies on fate and effects, it is important to understand the dynamics of metal bioavailability and the way it is influenced by soil properties. The aim of this study was to assess the parallel (concurrent) effect of pH and aging time on the partitioning of cadmium in natural LUFA 2.2 soil. Cadmium nitrate-spiked pH-amended LUFA 2.2 soils were incubated under laboratory conditions for up to 30 weeks. Measured pHpw was lower after 3 weeks and decreased only slightly toward the end of the test. Cadmium concentrations in the pore water increased with time for all soil pH levels, while they decreased with increasing pH. Freundlich kf values ranged between 4.26 and 934 L kg(-1) (n = 0.79 to 1.36) and were highest at the highest pH tested (pH = 6.5). Multiple linear regression analysis, based on a soil ligand modeling approach, resulted in affinity constants of 2.61 for Ca(2+) (log KCa-SL) and 5.05 for H(+) (log KH-SL) for their binding to the active sites on the soil surface. The results showed that pH and aging time are two important factors which together affect cadmium partitioning and mobility in spiked natural soils.

This study aimed at assessing the influence of soil properties on the uptake and toxicity effects of arsenic in the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed for 4 weeks to seven natural soils spiked with different arsenic concentrations. Water-soluble soil concentrations (AsW) and internal As concentrations in the earthworms (AsE) were greatly different between soils. These two variables were highly correlated and were key factors in earthworm toxicity response. AsW was explained by some soil properties, such as the pH, calcium carbonate content, ionic strength, texture or oxide forms. Toxicity showed a clear variation between soils, in some cases without achieving 50 % adverse effect at the highest As concentration added (600 mg kg(-1)). Nevertheless, soil properties did not show, in general, a high relation with studied toxicity endpoints, although the high correlation with AsW could greatly reduce indirectly As bioavailability and toxicity risk for earthworms. Obtained results suggest that soil properties should be part of the criteria to establishing thresholds for contaminated soils because they will be key in controlling As availability and thus result in different degrees of toxicity.

The effects of Ag-NPs and AgNO3 on the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus were determined upon soil and dietary exposures. Isopods avoided Ag in soil, with EC50 values of ∼16.0 and 14.0 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. Feeding inhibition tests in soil showed EC50s for effects on consumption ratio of 127 and 56.7 mg Ag/kg, respectively. Although similar EC50s for effects on biomass were observed for nanoparticulate and ionic Ag (114 and 120 mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively), at higher concentrations greater biomass loss was found for AgNO3. Upon dietary exposure, AgNO3 was more toxic, with EC50 for effects on biomass change being >1500 and 233 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. The difference in toxicity between Ag-NPs and AgNO3 could not be explained from Ag body concentrations. This suggests that the relation between toxicity and bioavailability of Ag-NPs differs from that of ionic Ag in soils., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To what extent chemical contamination affects genetic diversity of wild populations remains an open question in ecotoxicology. Here we used a genome-wide approach (615 nuclear RADseq loci containing 3017 SNPs) and a mtDNA fragment (ATP6) to analyze the effect of long-term exposure to elevated concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) on genetic diversity in rove beetle (Staphylinus erythropterus) populations living along a pollution gradient in Poland. In total, 96 individuals collected from six sites at increasing distance from the source of pollution were analyzed. We found weak differentiation between populations suggesting extensive gene flow. The highest genetic diversity was observed in a population inhabiting the polluted site with the highest metal availability. This may suggest increased mutation rates, possibly in relation to elevated oxidative stress levels. The polluted site could also act as an ecological sink receiving numerous migrants from neighboring populations. Despite higher genetic diversity at the most polluted site, there was no correlation between the genetic diversity and metal pollution or other soil properties. We did not find a clear genomic signature of local adaptation to metal pollution. Like in some other cases of metal tolerance in soil invertebrates, high mobility may counteract possible effects of local selective forces associated with soil pollution., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Organic matter (OM) and pH may influence nanoparticle fate and effects in soil. This study investigated the influence of soil organic matter content and pH on the toxicity of ZnO-NP and ZnCl2 to Folsomia candida in four natural soils, having between 2.37% and 14.7% OM and [Formula: see text] levels between 5.0 and 6.8. Porewater Zn concentrations were much lower in ZnO-NP than in ZnCl2 spiked soils, resulting in higher Freundlich sorption constants for ZnO-NP. For ZnCl2 the porewater Zn concentrations were significantly higher in less organic soils, while for ZnO-NP the highest soluble Zn level (23mgZn/l) was measured in the most organic soil, which had the lowest pH. Free Zn(2+) ion concentrations were higher for ZnCl2 than for ZnO-NP and were greatly dependent on pH (pHpw) and dissolved organic carbon content of the pore water. The 28-d EC50 values for the effect of ZnCl2 on the reproduction of F. candida increased with increasing OM content from 356 to 1592mgZn/kg d.w. For ZnO-NP no correlation between EC50 values and OM content was found and EC50 values ranged from 1695 in the most organic soil to 4446mgZn/kg d.w. in the higher pH soil. When based on porewater and free Zn(2+) concentrations, EC50 values were higher for ZnCl2 than for ZnO-NP, and consistently decreased with increasing pHpw. This study shows that ZnO-NP toxicity is dependent on soil properties, but is mainly driven by soil pH., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The bioavailability of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd from field-aged orchard soils in a certified fruit plantation area of the Northeast Jiaodong Peninsula in China was assessed using bioassays with earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and chemical assays. Soil acidity increased with increasing fruit cultivation periods with a lowest pH of 4.34. Metals were enriched in topsoils after decades of horticultural cultivation, with highest concentrations of Cu (132 kg(-1)) and Zn (168 mg kg(-1)) in old apple orchards and Pb (73 mg kg(-1)) and Cd (0.57 mg kg(-1)) in vineyard soil. Earthworm tissue concentrations of Cu and Pb significantly correlated with 0.01 M CaCl2-extractable soil concentrations (R(2) = 0.70, p < 0.001 for Cu; R(2) = 0.58, p < 0.01 for Pb). Because of the increased bioavailability, regular monitoring of soil conditions in old orchards and vineyards is recommended, and soil metal guidelines need reevaluation to afford appropriate environmental protection under acidifying conditions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The soil worm Enchytraeus crypticus (Oligochaeta) is an ecotoxicology model species that, until now, was without genome or transcriptome sequence information. The present research aims at studying the transcriptome of Enchytraeus crypticus, sampled from multiple test conditions, and the construction of a high-density microarray for functional genomic studies., Results: Over 1.5 million cDNA sequence reads were obtained representing 645 million nucleotides. After assembly, 27,296 contigs and 87,686 singletons were obtained, from which 44% and 25% are annotated as protein-coding genes, respectively, sharing homology with other animal proteomes. Concerning assembly quality, 84% of the contig sequences contain an open reading frame with a start codon while E. crypticus homologs were identified for 92% of the core eukaryotic genes. Moreover, 65% and 77% of the singletons and contigs without known homologs, respectively, were shown to be transcribed in an independent microarray experiment. An Agilent 180 K microarray platform was designed and validated by hybridizing cDNA from 4 day zinc- exposed E. crypticus to the concentration corresponding to 50% reduction in reproduction after three weeks (EC50). Overall, 70% of all probes signaled expression above background levels (mean signal + 1x standard deviation). More specifically, the probes derived from contigs showed a wider range of average intensities when compared to probes derived from singletons. In total, 522 significantly differentially regulated transcripts were identified upon zinc exposure. Several significantly regulated genes exerted predicted functions (e.g. zinc efflux, zinc transport) associated with zinc stress. Unexpectedly, the microarray data suggest that zinc exposure alters retro transposon activity in the E. crypticus genome., Conclusion: An initial investigation of the E. crypticus transcriptome including an associated microarray platform for future studies proves to be a valuable resource to investigate functional genomics mechanisms of toxicity in soil environments and to annotate a potentially large number of lineage specific genes that are responsive to environmental stress conditions.

The effects of soil pH on the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus were evaluated. Isopods were exposed to a natural soil amended with CaCO3 to reach 3 different pH(CaCl2) levels (4.5, 6.2, and 7.3) and to standard LUFA 2.2 soil (pH 5.5) spiked with ZnO NPs (30 nm), non-nano ZnO (200 nm), and ionic Zn as ZnCl₂. Toxicity was expressed based on total Zn concentration in soil, as well as total Zn and free Zn²⁺ ion concentrations in porewater. Compared with ZnO-spiked soils, the ZnCl₂-spiked soils had lower pH and higher porewater Ca²⁺ and Zn levels. Isopod survival did not differ between Zn forms and soils, but survival was higher for isopods exposed to ZnO NPs at pH 4.5. Median effect concentrations (EC50s) for biomass change showed similar trends for all Zn forms in all soils, with higher values at intermediate pH. Median lethal concentration (LC50) and EC50 values based on porewater Zn or free Zn ion concentrations were much lower for ZnO than for ionic zinc. Zn body concentrations increased in a dose-related manner, but no effect of soil pH was found. It is suggested not only that dissolved or free Zn in porewater contributed to uptake and toxicity, but also that oral uptake (i.e., ingestion of soil particles) could be an important additional route of exposure., (© 2013 SETAC.)

To improve our understanding of metal bioavailability to soil-living invertebrates, the effect of porewater composition on the toxicodynamics of copper and cadmium in Folsomia candida (Collembola) was investigated. Assuming that porewater is the main exposure route, F. candida was exposed to simulated soil solutions of different composition. Toxicity of copper was slightly lower in a calcium-only solution than in a multication solution. With increasing copper concentrations from 0.005 mM to 1.37 mM, internal copper concentrations similarly increased in both exposure solutions, suggesting that a single cation nutrient solution is suitable for testing F. candida. In the second experiment, animals were exposed for 7 d to copper and cadmium in simplified soil solutions with different calcium (0.2 mM, 0.8 mM, 3.2 mM, 12.8 mM) and pH (5.0, 6.0, 7.0) levels. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values decreased with time in both the calcium and pH series. A hormetic-type effect was observed for copper in the second test, as well as in the calcium-only solution in the first experiment. Because of stronger hormesis, LC50s for copper were higher at lower calcium concentrations. For cadmium, LC50 values were higher at higher calcium concentrations, suggesting competition of calcium with the free cadmium ion. Toxicity of cadmium increased with decreasing pH, while copper was more toxic at intermediate pH. The results show that a toxicodynamics approach can help to improve the interpretation of metal toxicity to soil invertebrates, taking into account soil solution properties., (© 2013 SETAC.)

The effect of soil pH on the toxicity of 30 nm ZnO to Folsomia candida was assessed in Dorset field soils with pHCaCl2 adjusted to 4.31, 5.71, and 6.39. To unravel the contribution of particle size and dissolved Zn, 200 nm ZnO and ZnCl2 were tested. Zinc sorption increased with increasing pH, and Freundlich kf values ranged from 98.9 (L/kg)(1/n) to 333 (L/kg)(1/n) for 30 nm ZnO and from 64.3 (L/kg)(1/n) to 187 (L/kg)(1/n) for ZnCl2. No effect of particle size was found on sorption, and little difference was found in toxicity between 30 nm and 200 nm ZnO. The effect on reproduction decreased with increasing pH for all Zn forms, with 28-d median effective concentrations (EC50s) of 553 mg Zn/kg, 1481 mg Zn/kg, and 3233 mg Zn/kg for 30 nm ZnO and 331 mg Zn/kg, 732 mg Zn/kg, and 1174 mg Zn/kg for ZnCl2 at pH 4.31, 5.71, and 6.39, respectively. The EC50s based on porewater Zn concentrations increased with increasing pH for 30 nm ZnO from 4.77 mg Zn/L to 18.5 mg Zn/L, while for ZnCl2 no consistent pH-related trend in EC50s was found (21.0-63.3 mg Zn/L). Porewater calcium levels were 10 times higher in ZnCl2 -spiked soils than in ZnO-spiked soils. The authors' results suggest that the decreased toxicity of ZnCl2 compared with 30 nm ZnO based on porewater concentrations was because of a protective effect of calcium and not a particle effect., (© 2013 SETAC.)

The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of metal bioavailability in soil by linking the biotic ligand approach with toxicokinetics modelling. We determined cadmium bioaccumulation kinetics in Folsomia candida (Collembola) as a function of soil pH. Animals were exposed for 21 days to LUFA 2.2 soil at 5 or 20 μg Cd g(-1) dry soil followed by 21 days elimination in clean soil. Internal cadmium concentrations were modelled using a first-order one-compartment model, relating uptake rate constants (k1) to total soil, water or 0.01 M CaCl2 extractable and porewater concentrations. Based on total soil concentrations, k1 was independent of soil pH while it strongly increased with increasing pH based on porewater concentrations explaining the reduced competition of H(+) ions making cadmium more bioavailable in pore water at high pH. This shows that the principles of biotic ligand modelling are applicable to predict cadmium accumulation kinetics in soil-living invertebrates., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study sought to quantify the components of a biotic ligand model (BLM) for the effects of Cd on Folsomia candida (Collembola). Assuming that soil porewater is the main route of exposure and to exclude the effects of soil particles on metal availability, animals were exposed for 7 d to different Cd concentrations between 0.1 mM and 100 mM in simplified soil solutions at different Ca concentrations (0.2 mM, 0.8 mM, 3.2 mM, and 12.8 mM) or at different pH (5.0, 6.0, and 7.0). Higher Ca concentrations decreased the toxicity of Cd (adult survival) in test solutions, whereas toxicity was slightly lower at pH 7 and 6 than at pH 5, suggesting a mitigating effect of Ca and to a lesser extent pH on Cd toxicity to F. candida. Internal Cd concentrations in the animals increased with increasing exposure level but were significantly reduced by increasing Ca concentrations and were not significantly affected by pH. By using Langmuir isotherms, binding constants for Cd, Ca, and protons and the fraction of binding sites occupied by Cd were calculated and used to predict effects of Cd on survival. Predicted toxicity showed a good agreement with measured responses when Ca and pH were used as separate factors or combined together. The present study shows indications of protective effects of Ca but less of protons on the toxicity and uptake of Cd in F. candida on exposure to simplified soil solutions, which can be described using the principles of a biotic ligand model., (Copyright © 2013 SETAC.)

To assess the effect of long-term dissolution on bioavailability and toxicity, triethoxyoctylsilane coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP), non-nano ZnO and ZnCl2 were equilibrated in natural soil for up to twelve months. Zn concentrations in pore water increased with time for all ZnO forms but peaked at intermediate concentrations of ZnO-NP and non-nano ZnO, while for coated ZnO-NP such a clear peak only was seen after 12 months. Dose-related increases in soil pH may explain decreased soluble Zn levels due to fixation of Zn released from ZnO at higher soil concentrations. At T = 0 uncoated ZnO-NP and non-nano ZnO were equally toxic to the springtail Folsomia candida, but not as toxic as coated ZnO-NP, and ZnCl2 being most toxic. After three months equilibration toxicity to F. candida was already reduced for all Zn forms, except for coated ZnO-NP which showed reduced toxicity only after 12 months equilibration., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) are an established tool in environmental risk assessment and a valuable alternative to the exhaustive use of test animals under REACH. In this study a QSAR was developed for the toxicity of a series of six chloroanilines to the soil-dwelling collembolan Folsomia candida in standardized natural LUFA2.2 soil. Toxicity endpoints incorporated in the QSAR were the concentrations causing 10% (EC10) and 50% (EC50) reduction in reproduction of F. candida. Toxicity was based on concentrations in interstitial water estimated from nominal concentrations in the soil and published soil-water partition coefficients. Estimated effect concentrations were negatively correlated with the lipophilicity of the compounds. Interstitial water concentrations for both the EC10 and EC50 for four compounds were determined by using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Measured and estimated concentrations were comparable only for tetra- and pentachloroaniline. With decreasing chlorination the disparity between modelled and actual concentrations increased. Optimisation of the QSAR therefore could not be accomplished, showing the necessity to move from total soil to (bio)available concentration measurements., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to the difficulty in dispersing some engineered nanomaterials in exposure media, realizing homogeneous distributions of nanoparticles (NP) in soil may pose major challenges. The present study investigated the distribution of zinc oxide (ZnO) NP (30 nm) and non-nano ZnO (200 nm) in natural soil using two different spiking procedures, i.e. as dry powder and as suspension in soil extract. Both spiking procedures showed a good recovery (>85 %) of zinc and based on total zinc concentrations no difference was found between the two spiking methods. Both spiking procedures resulted in a fairly homogeneous distribution of the ZnO particles in soil, as evidenced by the low variation in total zinc concentration between replicate samples (<12 % in most cases). Survival of Folsomia candida in soil spiked at concentrations up to 6,400 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. was not affected for both compounds. Reproduction was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner with EC50 values of 3,159 and 2,914 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. for 30 and 200 nm ZnO spiked as dry powder and 3,593 and 5,633 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. introduced as suspension. Toxicity of ZnO at 30 and 200 nm did not differ. We conclude that the ZnO particle toxicity is not size related and that the spiking of the soil with ZnO as dry powder or as a suspension in soil extract does not affect its toxicity to F. candida.

Sewage sludge application to soils is regulated by its total metal content. However, the real risk of metals is determined by the fraction that is biologically available. The available fraction is highly related to the strength of metal binding by the matrix, which is a dynamic process. The evaluation of the fate of metals in time can contribute increased accuracy of ecological risk assessment. Aiming to evaluate short-term changes in metal availability when metals were applied to soil directly (metal-spiked) or by way of an organic matrix (sludge-amended), a laboratory experiment was performed using open microcosms filled with agricultural soil. A concentration gradient of industrial sludge (11, 15, 55, and 75 t/ha) that was contaminated predominantly with chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc, or soil freshly spiked with the same concentrations of these metals, were applied on top of the agricultural soil. After 0, 3, 6, and 12 weeks, total (HNO(3) 69 %) and 0.01 M CaCl(2)-extractable metal concentrations in soil and metal content in the percolates were measured. Results demonstrated that comparison between sludge-amended and metal-spiked soils may give important information about the role of sludge matrix on metal mobility and availability in soil. In sludge-amended soils, extractable-metal concentrations were independent of the sludge concentration and did not change over time. In metal-spiked soils, metal extractability decreased with time due to ageing and transport of metals to deeper layers. In general, the sludge matrix increased the adsorption of metals, thus decreasing their mobility in soils.

Metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) (e.g., silver, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide) are being widely used in the nanotechnology industry. Because of the release of particles from NP-containing products, it is likely that NPs will enter the soil compartment, especially through land application of sewage sludge derived from wastewater treatment. This review presents an overview of the literature dealing with the fate and effects of metal-based NPs in soil. In the environment, the characteristics of NPs (e.g., size, shape, surface charge) and soil (e.g., pH, ionic strength, organic matter, and clay content) will affect physical and chemical processes, resulting in NP dissolution, agglomeration, and aggregation. The behavior of NPs in soil will control their mobility and their bioavailability to soil organisms. Consequently, exposure characterization in ecotoxicological studies should obtain as much information as possible about dissolution, agglomeration, and aggregation processes. Comparing existing studies is a challenging task, because no standards exist for toxicity tests with NPs. In many cases, the reporting of associated characterization data is sparse, or missing, making it impossible to interpret and explain observed differences in results among studies., (Copyright © 2012 SETAC.)

This study aimed at relating the abundance and diversity of invertebrate communities of urban soils to chemical and physical soil characteristics and to identify the taxa most sensitive or tolerant to soil stressors. The invertebrate community of five urban soils in Naples, Italy, was sampled. To assess soil quality invertebrate community indices (Shannon, Simpson, Menhinick and Pielou indices), Acarina/Collembola ratios, and the soil biological quality index (QBS) were calculated. The chemical and physical characteristics of the soils strongly differed. Abundance rather than taxa richness of invertebrates were more affected by soil characteristics. The community was more abundant and diverse in the soils with high organic matter and water content and low metal (Cu, Pb, Zn) concentrations. The taxa more resistant to the urban environment included Acarina, Enchytraeids, Collembola and Nematoda. Collembolans appeared particularly sensitive to changing soil properties. Among the investigated indices, QBS seems most appropriate for soil quality assessment., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mo bioaccumulation in the earthworm Eisenia andrei was determined after 28 d exposure in ten different European field soils (pH 4.4-7.8) and an artificial soil, freshly spiked with Na₂MoO₄ at concentrations between 3.2 and 3200 mg Mo kg⁻¹ dry soil. Three field soils were also tested after ageing for 11 months. Earthworm Mo concentrations generally levelled off at high exposure levels but in most soils showed a (nearly) linear increase with increasing soil concentrations in the lower, non-toxic range (below EC10 or NOEC for reproduction effects). Bioaccumulation (BAF) and Bioconcentration factors (BCF) were calculated as the ratio of earthworm concentration to soil and estimated porewater concentrations, respectively. BAFs (0.35-3.44) and BCFs (1.31-276) did not seem much affected by soil concentration, suggesting that earthworms are not capable of regulating their internal Mo concentrations. BAF was best predicted by ammonium oxalate-extractable iron (Fe(ox)) and phosphor (P(ox)) contents of the soils., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mo toxicity to earthworms (Eisenia andrei), Collembola (Folsomia candida) and enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus) was determined in 10 European soils and a standard artificial soil, freshly spiked with Na(2)MoO(4), after 28 days exposure. Mo affected survival only in three low pH sandy soils; in all other soils LC50 was >3200 mg Mo/kg dry soil. EC50 values for the reproduction toxicity of Mo were 129-2378 mg/kg for earthworms, 72->3396 mg/kg for Collembola, and 301->2820 mg/kg for enchytraeids. Variation in toxicity among soils could not be explained by differences in available (pore water, water and 0.01 M CaCl(2) extractable) Mo concentrations. Clay content best predicted the EC50 for Mo toxicity to earthworms, while toxicity of Mo for enchytraeids was best described by soil pH. For Collembola no relationships could be derived due to the absence of toxicity in most soils. Soil properties had a strong but species-specific effect on Mo toxicity to soil invertebrates., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed at determining the uptake and elimination kinetics of molybdenum in the earthworm Eisenia andrei, and the influence of soil properties on molybdenum bioaccumulation. Three natural and four artificial soils were spiked at concentrations of 10 and 100 microg Mo g(-1) dry soil. Earthworms were exposed individually to spiked soils and sampled at different time intervals for 21 d. Remaining earthworms were transferred to non-spiked soil to determine elimination, also for 21 d. Uptake and elimination rate constants and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were calculated using a one-compartment model, and related to total, water and CaCl2 extractable molybdenum concentrations in soil. Molybdenum was rapidly accumulated by the earthworms with uptake rate constants between 0.05 and 1.70 g dry soil g(-1) dry earthworm d(-1), and equilibrium generally was reached within 10 d. Molybdenum was not strongly bioaccumulated (BAF

Terrestrial avoidance behavior is proposed as a fast and cost-effective method for assessing effects of pesticides on earthworms. Tropical species however, have rarely been used in avoidance tests. Avoidance tests were performed with Perionyx excavatus, a tropical species, and Eisenia andrei as the standard species, using chlorpyrifos and carbofuran in artificial and natural soil. Earthworms were exposed to concentrations of 1-900 (chlorpyrifos) and 1-32 (carbofuran)mg a.i. kg(-1) dry soil in a two-chamber system under tropical conditions (26+/-2 degrees C, 48 h). No significant difference was found in the control tests comparing the two soils used, suggesting soil type did not affect the distribution of the worms. The results suggest a higher sensitivity of E. andrei, with EC50S for the effect on avoidance behavior for both pesticides being a factor of 2-3 lowers than for P. excavatus. Earthworm avoidance tests with local species should therefore be used with caution when applied as a tool for pesticide risk assessment in the tropics. Endpoints generated through avoidance tests in this study are shown to be less sensitive than reproduction and more sensitive than survival. This was further confirmed by literature data available. Earthworm avoidance tests therefore can only replace survival tests as an initial screening tool for risk assessment.

The ecotoxicological characterization of sewage sludge takes into account the additive, antagonistic and synergistic effects that occur as a result of multi-chemical interactions. Such an evaluation therefore is essential to complement the chemical analysis that, although required by law, is clearly insufficient. Using a tiered approach in the toxic evaluation of sewage sludge allows for characterization of toxicity in a timely manner. According to the literature, reproduction tests with Folsomia candida are suitable tools for the toxic assessment of organic sludges. Therefore, the inclusion of Collembola avoidance tests at a screening level (low tier), and acting as a trigger for longer-period tests (high tier; e.g. reproduction test), may provide a successful strategy, and may complement the currently proposed test battery. To evaluate the use of both avoidance and reproduction tests with collembolans in such a tiered approach, three sewage sludges (urban, olive and electroplating industries) were mixed in with a field-collected soil at different concentrations. Avoidance and reproduction tests were performed with the soil-sludge mixtures after 0, 4 and 12 weeks of incubation. The tests detected no toxicity in soil-sludge mixtures of urban and olive sludges at any incubation period. Mixtures with sludge from the electroplating industry induced toxicity only in the avoidance tests with freshly prepared and 4-week incubated samples. These results demonstrate the ability of Collembola avoidance tests to assess sewage sludge toxicity over time and its potential for hazardous sludge characterization at low tier levels.

Expansion of agriculture in the tropics has increased the use of pesticides that may affect the soil ecosystems. Few studies so far determined the effects of pesticides in the tropics and tropical risk assessment therefore often relies on data from temperate conditions. Hence we compared the toxicity of chlorpyrifos, carbofuran and carbendazim to the earthworm Eisenia andrei at two different temperatures reflecting temperate and tropical conditions. The toxicity of the three pesticides in both conditions decreased in the order carbendazim>carbofuran>chlorpyrifos. For chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, but not for carbendazim, survival was more sensitive at the higher temperature, probably due to increased earthworm activity. Sub-lethal effects (reproduction and growth) however, varied inconsistently with temperature and soil types. We conclude that toxicity of pesticides in tropics may not be predicted from data generated under temperate conditions, even within the same species.

The definition of ambient background concentrations (ABCs) is used in this study to assess the potential environmental risk of trace elements in soils and parent materials from Granada, Spain. Two different layers of soil (0-20 and 20-40 cm) and parent material samples were collected at 93 sites. From cumulative frequency distribution curves, ABCs for As, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn were estimated at 3.5-20, 7-23, 13-25.6, 29-66, 7-20, 15-36, and 5.5-76 mg kg(-1), respectively. Tukey box-plots were used to discriminate different concentration classes and identify potentially contaminated sites. Weakly-weathered soils (Entisols) over carbonate materials showed the lowest background contents, the most developed soils (Alfisols) over metamorphic rocks the highest ones. Outliers were mainly found near a former iron mine where arsenic concentrations were by far exceeding the corresponding regional ABC. These soils were however, not toxic to Escherichia coli and Vibrio fischeri. The prediction of site-specific ABCs together with bioavailability and toxicity assessment is a valuable tool for giving further insight into the risk of trace elements in soils.

Metal ions in excess of metabolic requirements are potentially toxic and must be removed from the vicinity of important biological molecules to protect organisms from adverse effects. Correspondingly, metals are sequestrated in various forms, defining the accumulation pattern and the magnitude of steady-state levels reached. To investigate the subcellular fractions over which Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and As are distributed, earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa) collected from the field were analyzed by isolating metal-rich granules and tissue fragments from intracellular microsomal and cytosolic fractions (i.e., heat-stable proteins and heat-denatured proteins). The fractions showed metal-specific binding capacity. Cadmium was mainly retrieved from the protein fractions. Copper was equally distributed over the protein fraction and the fraction comprising tissue fragments, cell membranes, and intact cells. Zinc, Ca, Mg, and As were mainly found in this fraction as well. Lead, Fe, and Ni were mainly isolated from the granular fraction. To study accumulation kinetics in the different fractions, three experiments were conducted in which earthworms were exposed to metal-spiked soil and a soil contaminated by anthropogenic inputs and, indigenous earthworms were exposed to field soils. Although kinetics showed variation, linear uptake and steady-state types of accumulation patterns could be understood according to subcellular compartmentalization. For risk assessment purposes, subcellular distribution of metals might allow for a more precise estimate of effects than total body burden. Identification of subcellular partitioning appears useful in determining the biological significance of steady-state levels reached in animals.

For Collembola living in the upper soil and litter layers, soil moisture is a primary factor for survival. In addition, a shortage or surplus of moisture might interact with other stress factors, such as persistent pollutants. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the response of the collembolan species Folsomia candida to cadmium at different soil moisture contents. Tests were performed in an artificial soil substrate at soil moisture levels of 25, 35, 45, and 55%, corresponding with 74, 103, 132, and 162% of field capacity, respectively. Cadmium sorption to the soils, estimated from water-soluble concentrations, was not significantly affected by soil moisture content. Significant effects of soil moisture content were found for the toxicity of cadmium on body weight of F. candida after 4 and 6 weeks. EC50s did, however, not differ by more than a factor of 2. Reproduction in the controls was strongly affected by soil moisture content, but EC50s for the effect of cadmium on reproduction did not differ for the different moisture levels. Cadmium concentrations in the animals were not significantly affected by soil moisture content. From this study it can be concluded that, within the range chosen, soil moisture content does not have a great influence on the bioavailability and toxicity of cadmium for the collembolan F. candida.