Comparison of the effects of zinc nitrate-tetrahydrate and tributyltin-oxide on the reproduction and avoidance behavior of the earthworm Eisenia andrei in laboratory tests using nine soils

• Parallel testing of two chemicals in nine soils with two earthworm laboratory tests.
• In seven out of nine tests toxicity of zinc was similar in reproduction and avoidance tests.
• Sensitivity of avoidance and reproduction tests toward TBT-O differed in some soils.
• Results support use of earthworm avoidance test as screening tool for risk assessment.

The aim of this contribution was to evaluate whether the sensitivity of the earthworm avoidance test is comparable to that of the earthworm reproduction test (standard test guidelines for both are available). The objective was to determine if relatively simple short-term tests are useful as an initial screening step for the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of potentially contaminated soils prior to performing long-term, elaborate tests. Therefore, the effects of two model substances, zinc nitrate-tetrahydrate and tributyltin-oxide (TBT-O) on the reproduction and the avoidance behavior of the earthworm Eisenia andrei were compared using Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) artificial soil as well as eight natural soils, including LUFA St. 2.2 soil, covering a wide range of pH-values, organic matter content and texture. Almost all tests fulfilled the validity criteria defined in the two standard guidelines published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), despite the fact that the properties of natural soils differed clearly from those of OECD artificial soil. The median effective concentration (EC50) values estimated for zinc nitrate-tetrahydrate in 48-h avoidance tests and in 56-day reproduction tests were often similar when using the same soil (seven out of nine soils). However, in the case of TBT-O, the outcome was more complex: in two test soils the avoidance EC50 values were by a factor >3 higher than the reproduction EC50 values. In one of the test soils it was the other way around and the remaining soils showed comparable EC50 values in both tests. Summarizing the results obtained here and according to experiences reported in the available literature, the earthworm avoidance test may be recommended as an initial screening tool in the ERA of potentially contaminated soils. However, further research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to the difference in sensitivity between reproduction and avoidance tests.