title: Toxicological and biochemical responses of the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to contaminated soil: Effects of arsenic species.
abstract: Arsenic is a pollutant that can be detected in different chemical forms in soil. However, the toxicological effects of different arsenic species on organisms have received little attention. In this study, we exposed earthworms Eisenia fetida to artificial soils contaminated by arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA) for 28 and 56 days. Three biomarkers including lipid peroxidation (LPO), metallothioneins (MTs) and lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) were analyzed in the organisms. In addition, the contents of total arsenic and arsenic species in earthworms were also determined to investigate the effects of bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic on biomarkers and to evaluate the dose-response relationships. The results showed that the relationship between the three biomarkers and the two inorganic arsenic species were dose dependent, and the correlation levels between the biomarkers and As(III) were higher than that between the biomarkers and As(V). Trivalent arsenic species shows more toxicity than pentavalent arsenic on the earthworms at molecular and subcellular level, including oxidative damage, MTs induction and lysosomal membrane damage. The toxicity of MMA and DMA was lower than inorganic arsenic species. However, the occurrence of demethylation of organic arsenics could lead to the generation of highly toxic inorganic arsenics and induce adverse effects on organisms. The biotransformation of highly toxic inorganic arsenics to the less toxic organic species in the earthworms was also validated in this study. The biomarker responses of the earthworm to different arsenic species found in this study could be helpful in future environment monitoring programs.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, No. 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100, PR China. Electronic address: zhifengw302@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, No. 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100, PR China. Electronic address: cuizj@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhaojie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, No. 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, No. 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Qianchi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, No. 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100, PR China; School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001149:Arsenates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018053:Arsenites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000187:drug effects; D002101:Cacodylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001149:Arsenates; D001152:Arsenicals; D018053:Arsenites; D015415:Biomarkers; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008668:Metallothionein; D002101:Cacodylic Acid; C020300:monomethylarsonic acid; C015001:arsenite; D001151:Arsenic; C025657:arsenic acid
keywords: Arsenic species; Biomarker; Eisenia fetida; Soil; Toxicity