Short Communication AVOIDANCE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND COCOON PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT FOR EISENIA FETIDA EXPOSED TO C60 IN SOIL

Eisenia fetida was used as a model terrestrial organism to assess the potential ecotoxicity of molecular pristine C60 in soil. Reproduction (assessed by counting cocoon numbers) was hindered only at very high C60 concentrations (5% by weight), and C60 (up to 1%) was not avoided and did not hinder earthworm growth. This suggests that E. fetida is unlikely to experience acute toxicity as a result of C60 occurrence in soil. Whether sublethal toxicity may decrease earthworm populations that are chronically exposed to C60 at lower concentrations remains to be determined. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2542–2545. # 2011 SETAC Keywords—Earthworm Avoidance test Reproduction Nanoparticle Ecotoxicity