ECOTOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF THE HERBICIDE TRIFLURALIN ON PORCELLIO SCABER (ISOPODA)

In a model ecosystem study, the isopod Porcellio scaber was found to a ccumulate the herbicide trifluralin and its metabolites with body conc entrations from 7-19 times those in litter and topsoil. Concentrations in adult P. scaber were much lower than those found in earthworms, in juvenile P. scaber and in the faeces of P. scaber. No effects of trif luralin applied at recommended rates on P. scaber feeding and defaecat ion rates nor on weight development and mortality, could be demonstrat ed. P. scaber is easy to handle as a test organism, but problems arise in relation to standardisation and reproducibility of weight developm ent studies. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.