Earthworms As Bioindicators of Soil Pollution And Their Potential for Remediation of Contaminated Soils
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    Abstract:

    The ways in which earthworms perform as bioindicators of soil pollution are reviewed as follows:(1)Earth-worm population in contaminated sites reflects the degree of soil pollution as a whole;(2)For ecotoxicologial risk assessment, earthworms serve as an important indicator for potential pollutants damaging the soil eco-system;(3)Earthworms act as an early warning system in monitoring changes in soil pollution.The main mechanisms of earthworms.resistance to metal pollutants are also elaborated:(1)its lipid ant ioxidative enzyme system helps relieve the stress of oxidation;(2)Compartment and immobilization of metals;(3)Process of chelating and detoxicification;(4)Lysosome and cellular plasmid are activated to restrain activity of heavy metals.Meanwhile,the potential of earthworms to enhance soil bioremediation is discussed and it is believed that earth-worms do so by improving physical and chemical characteristics,activating microbes,changing bioavailability of pollutants in soil.

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Gao Yan, Luo Yongming. Earthworms As Bioindicators of Soil Pollution And Their Potential for Remediation of Contaminated Soils[J]. Acta Pedologica Sinica,2005,42(1):140-148.

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History
  • Received:February 29,2004
  • Revised:June 12,2004
  • Adopted:
  • Online: February 25,2013
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