TA5 Soil Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment
203 Oregon Ballroom
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday
() Effects of heavy metals and explosive polynitro-organic mixtures on terrestrial plants and earthworms.
Robidoux, PY1, Berthelot, Y1, Savard, K1, Auroy, A1, Ait Ali, N1, Ndayibagira, A1, Hawari, J1, Sunahara, G1, 1 Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
ABSTRACT- This paper presents lethal and sublethal effects of interactions between explosive polynitro-organic (TNT and HMX) compounds and metals (Cd Cr, Cu, Fe and Pb) on selected soil organisms. Lethal and sublethal effects of combination of metals and explosives to the earthworms Eisenia fetida andrei were evaluated. Earthworm sublethal endpoints included enzymes of detoxification (such as catalase and GST), phagocytosis and the lysosomial membranal fragility (Neutral Red assay). Combination of metals and explosives presents different lethal and sublethal effects to earthworms compared to the single contaminants. The Neutral Red Retention Time was one of the most sensitive biomarkers for the earthworm. Catalase and GST activities were also parameters sensitive to both explosives and metals. Effects of Cu and TNT on barley (Hordeum vulgare) were also evaluated in artificial-spiked soils (silica) using standard parameters (germination, growth) and biochemical markers (ascorbate peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation).
Key words: plant growth, energetic compounds, reproduction, biomarkers