Acute toxicity of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in earthworm (Eisenia andrei)

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an worldwide recalcitrant environmental cont aminant and is toxic to a number of organisms including humans. This study examines the acute effects (lethal and biomass changes) of TNT on the oligo chaetes species Eisenia andrei, using the 3-day filter paper, and the 7- an d 14-day direct contact spiked soil (OECD artificial and forest soil) toxic ity tests. Studies using the filter paper test indicated that the lethality of TNT could be detected in the range 1.5 to 14.2 mu g/cm(2), with signifi cant biomass (body weight) changes occurring at the lowest concentration. A cute effects (lethality) could not be measured when earthworms were placed on filter paper containing a saturated aqueous solution of TNT. This may in dicate that with these exposure conditions, TNT may have been adsorbed to t he filter paper, and that this matrix should be saturated with TNT before b ecoming available to the earthworms. Spiked soil toxicity tests indicated t hat the E. andrei lethality by TNT was > 1.5 times higher when earthworms w ere exposed to TNT-spiked forest soil (LOEC:260 mg/kg; LC50 14 days 222.4 m g/kg) than to spiked OECD artificial soil (LOEC:420 mg/kg; LC50 14 days: 36 4.9 mg/kg). The sublethal effect on biomass change at the selected TNT conc entrations in soil was not significant compared to controls. Results indica te that the bioanalytical methods described in this article could be used a s TNT toxicity assessment tools. This soil quality test method gives valuab le information for the screening of soil toxicity. (C) 1999 Academic Press.