Development and standardization of test methods for the prediction of sublethal effects of chemicals on earthworms

The main purpose of the European cooperative research project SECOFASE (“Development, improvement and standardization of test systems for assessing sublethal effects of chemicals on fauna of the soil ecosystem”) is to develop test systems for the early detection and evaluation of sublethal effects of chemicals on the main soil living invertebrate groups. The effects of dimethoate (insecticide), copper (heavy metal) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (anionic detergent) as model chemicals are investigated in two standard test soils, the OECD artificial soil and the LUFA 2.2 soil. We present preliminary results of the sub-project “Lumbricidae”. Acute and sublethal effects of dimethoate and copper on the standard test organism Eisenia fetida as well as Eisenia andrei were investigated in order to select suitable test conditions. Cocoon production and numbers of juveniles were the most sensitive sublethal factors whereas sensitivity of body weight development varied. Acute effects of dimethoate to Eisenia fetida, Aporrectodea caliginosa, A. rosea and Allolobophora chlorotica showed only small differences within one order of magnitude. In a characterization of dimethoate degradation by residue analysis in both soils a faster disappearance of dimethoate was observed in LUFA 2.2 soil.