Effect of organic complexation on the toxicity of Cu to the earthworm Eisenia fetida

The relationship between Cu speciation in solution and mortality and tissue Cu concentrations in Eisenia fetida was investigated. E. fetida were exposed to solutions containing 0.009, 0.049 and 0.125 mg Cu L−1and 0, 0.15, 0.35 and 50 mg EDTA L−1. Mortalities of 100, 60, 50 and 25% were recorded in the 0.125 mg Cu L−1 solutions containing 0, 0.15, 0.35 and 50 mg EDTA L−1, respectively. Similarly tissue body burden decreased with increasing EDTA concentration. Complexation capacity of the solution increased with EDTA concentration. In the 0.125 mg Cu L−1 solution labile Cu concentration decreased with increasing EDTA concentration. These trends are attributed to complexation of free Cu ions with EDTA molecules, and the non-bioavailable nature of the resultant Cu–EDTA complex.