Acute Toxic Effects of Cadmium and Prometryn Pollution on Earthworms

Purpose The acute toxic effects of single and compound pollution of cadmium and triazine herbicide prometryn on earthworms were characterized by mortality and body weight change of earthworms, exploring the change of relationship between the toxicity of pollutants and compound pollution.

Methods Eisenia fetida was used as the test organism, cadmium and prometryn were used as the test materials, the changes of physiological indicators of earthworms under different pollution times and different mass fractions of pollutants were compared using an artificial soil method.

Results In single pollution, the half-lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of cadmium on earthworms at 7 and 14 days were 1101.00 and 543.30 mg/kg, respectively; while the LC₅₀ of prometryn on earthworms at 7 and 14 days were 91.89 and 54.04 mg/kg, respectively. In compound pollution, with the increase of exposure time, the main effect factor switched from prometryn to cadmium, and the toxicity of pollutants also increased accordingly.

Conclusion The toxicity of prometryn in single pollution is greater than that of cadmium, but in compound pollution, cadmium has a greater impact on the toxicity of pollutants.