Toxicity and bioaccumulation of copper in the oribatid mite Oppia nitens (Acari: Oribatida)

To determine the toxicity and bioaccumulation of copper, adult oribatid soil mites Oppia nitens were exposed for 28 days to LUFA 2.2 spiked at concentrations 0–6400 mg Cu kg−1 dry soil. Effects on survival reproduction related total available (0.01 M CaCl2 extractable pore water) in animals. The showed a concentration-dependent uptake which, however, decreased toxic concentrations. Overall factors low, suggesting low tendency copper bioaccumulation. estimated median lethal concentration (LC50) values 3251 soil, 1130 1977 L−1 water, 592 body weight, 50 % effective (EC50) effects 589 116 78.5 413 based measured concentrations, 0.01 extractable, porewater, internal respectively. results show that mite O. is suitable test organism measuring metal bioavailability