title: The enchytraeid reproduction test (ERT): A potentially quick and affordable tool for the assessment of metal contaminated soils in emerging economies.
abstract: The enchytraeid reproduction test (ERT) was used to assess the ecotoxicity of selected mine tailings and agricultural soils from South Africa. The mine tailings had higher cumulative metal concentrations than agricultural soils. The most contaminated mine tailings significantly reduced the survival of the oligochaete Enchytraeus doerjesi whose reproduction was suppressed in all mine waste substrates. Because it reliably singled out the most contaminated substrate and was found easy to perform, we suggest that the ERT could be a quick and affordable tool for assigning intervention values for soil remediation in emerging economies such as South Africa.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa, 23389508@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Patricks
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Voua Otomo
authors.forename: Jurie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Maboeta
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D003906:Developing Countries; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D008906:Mining; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants