Toxicity of Organic Waste-Contaminated Soil on Earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

The toxicities of contaminated soils with 8 consecutive year applications of three levels (12.5, 25.0, and ) of four organic sludge [municipal sewage sludge (MSS), industrial sewage sludge (ISS), alcohol fermentation processing sludge (AFPS) and leather processing sludge (LPS)] on earthworm (Eisenia fetida) were examined by using microcosm container in the laboratory. Results were compared with those of pig manure compost (PMC) treated soil. In tests with three treatment levels (12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t per plot), ISS treated soil showed higher contents of Cu (18.9~26.2 fold), Cr (7.7~34.7 fold), and Ni (14.8~18.8 fold) at 8 years post treatment, than PMC treated soil. LPS treated soil showed higher contents of Cr (35.7~268.0 fold) and Ni (4.5~7.6 fold) than PMC treated soil. There were no great differences in heavy metal contents among MSS, AFPS, and PMC treated soils. In these contaminated soils, earthworm mortalities of MSS and AFPS treated soils at 8 weeks post-exposure were similar to those of PMC treated soil regardless of each treatment level. Toxic effect (26.7~96.7 mortality) on the ISS and LPS treated soils was significantly higher than one of PMC treated soil, with an exception of LPS soil treated with 25.0 t per plot. At 16 weeks post-exposure, earthworm mortalities of AFPS' 12.5 and 25.0 t treated soils were similar to those of PMC treated soil. Toxic effect (53.3~100 mortality) on the 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t treated soils of MSS, ISS and LPS, and AFPS' 50.0 t treated soils was significantly higher than those of PMC treated soil. The data suggested that the 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t of MSS, ISS and LPS, and AFPS' 50.0 t treated soils were evaluated to have toxicity on earthworm.