Effect of heavy metals on biomolecules and immune cells of earthworm, Eisenia fetida
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Date
2016
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
Earthworm influences microbial community, physical and chemical properties of soil. They
breakdown large soil particles and leaf litter thereby increase the availability of organic matter for
microbial degradation and transforms organic wastes into valuable vermicomposts. Earthworms are
capable of transforming garbage into ‘gold’. Due to rapid industrialization and excessive use of
agrochemicals the amount of heavy metals increases in ecosystem which directly influence the soil
organisms especially earthworms. Due to this reason the present study was carried out to investigate the
effect of heavy metals on the bio-molecules and immune cells of earthworm. The results showed acute
toxicity of two heavy metals viz. Lead and Nickel individually as well as in combination of different
concentrations on earthworms in terms of survival rate, growth (length and weight), reproductive
efficacy, cocoon production and coelomocytes and it was observed that as the concentration of heavy
metals increased, the survival rate, growth, cocoon production and coelomocytes decreased. Maximum
reduction in length (4.783 cm) and weight (0.487 g) of earthworm was seen in case of soil treated with
Pb-0.06ppm as compared to control where approximate length and weight was 8.660cm and 1.020g
respectively. Similar decrease in the population of earthworms was 51.67% and cocoon production was
78.33% respectively in case of Pb-0.06ppm contaminated soil. The impact of heavy metals on
carbohydrates, lipid and protein contents was quite significant and the maximum decrease in lipid
content (48.98%) followed by carbohydrates (32.05%) and protein (10.39%) in Pb-0.06ppm as
compared to control soil. When the cells of coelomic fluid were calculated there was significant
decrease in the total number of coelomocytes i.e. 85.01% in earthworms treated with Pb-0.06ppm
similarly significant reduction in eleocytes, amoebocytes-I, amoebocytes-II, granulocytes-I and
granulocytes- II was seen. The decrease in eleocytes, granulocytes I, granulocytes II, amoebocytes I
and amoebocytes II was 78.06, 88.67, 87.11, 86.64 and 85.89% in Pb (0.06ppm). It was concluded that
among two heavy metals Lead (Pb) is more toxic individually as well as in combination than Nickel
(Ni).
Description
Keywords
Biological phenomena, Concentrates, Toxicity, Proteins, Animal products, Biological development, carbohydrates, lipids, productivity, cooperation