The use of Folsomia candida (Collembola, Isotomidae) for the bioassay of xenobiotic substances and soil pollutants

The impacts of cadmium, pentachlorophenol, phenanthrene and of two artificially polluted soils, on reproduction by the collembolan Folsomia candida were studied using a test that is in the process of becoming a European standard. The first artificially polluted soil was contaminated with metals (cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc), the second with organic chemicals (pentachlorophenol, trichlorophenol and phenanthrene). The EC50 values for reproduction were 129, 87 and 175 mu g/g, respectively, for cadmium, pentachlorophenol and phenanthrene. Additional experiments dealing with the effects of soil pH and humidity, and of reproduction timing were carried out. A number of problems concerning the experimental conditions and the soil (soil moisture and pH) are discussed. It is concluded than the F. candida reproduction test could be a suitable ecotoxicological test for soil with some technical improvements in relation to organic matter content and test duration, and with more precise specification of the pre-normative ISO guidelines on soil humidity and structure. Further adaptation of the test for soil toxicity evaluation is needed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.