Soil Test Systems

Test organism

• Springtails (Collembola), e.g. Folsomia fimetaria, Folsomia candida

Test principle

• The effect of chemicals on the reproduction rate of Collembola is determined after keeping the Collembola in soil mixed with chemicals or in outdoor soil samples for 21 and 28 days, respectively.

Analysed parameters

• Number of offspring
• Mortality of adult animals

Test duration

• 21 d (F. fimetaria), 28 d (F. candida)

Relevance

• Important to evaluate the effect of toxic substances on soil organisms within the scope of a risk assessment in soil.
• The toxicity of specific chemicals is determined using spiking methods where the soil is mixed with the chemical at a specific concentration.
• Also suitable for measuring contaminations in soil samples

Guidelines and literature

• International Organization for Standardization (1999). Soil quality -- Inhibition of reproduction of Collembola (Folsomia candida) by soil pollutants. ISO 11267
• OECD (2009). Guideline for testing of chemicals 232: Collembolan Reproduction Test in Soil.

Video tutorial

Test organism

• Soil organisms

Test principle

• Measuring the feeding activity of soil organisms (no distinction between different soil invertebrates)
• This activity is indicative of changes in soil quality (e.g. contamination)

Analysed parameters

• Number of eaten/not eaten holes (filled with bait substrate of cellulose, powdered activated carbon and wheat bran)

Test duration

• 4 days to 4 weeks (depending on soil properties and season)

Relevance

• Functional method, no international standards available at present
• Applicable outdoors and in the lab for investigating general effects of a pollutant on soil organisms
• Suitable for investigating pollution gradients
• For investigating the effects of pesticide application on biological soil activity
• Screening method for the initial characterisation of a location and for biomonitoring

Guidelines and literature

• No international standard available to date
• Kratz W (1998). The bait-lamina test: general aspects, applications and perspectives. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 5 (2), 94–96
• Beyaert RP and Fox CA (2008). Assessment of Soil Biological Activity, in Carter MR and Gregorich EG (eds.) - Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis. 2nd Edition, CRC Press Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL, USA, Chapter 40, pp. 527-547.

Test organism

• Compost worm: Eisenia fetida

Test principle

• The test analyses the effect of contaminants on the reproduction rate of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) after 8-week exposure in naturally polluted soil against artificial or natural soil dosed with a known amount of contaminant.
• Other endpoints such as the survival and growth of the adult worms can be measured after 4-week exposure.

Analysed parameters

• Number of produced young
• Survival and growth of adult worms

Test duration

• 8 weeks (reproduction)
• 4 weeks (survival and growth of adult worms)

Relevance

• Determine the toxicity of individual substances or substance mixtures in natural soils
• Chronic toxicity test allowing the long-term analysis of the ecotoxicological risk
• Earthworms are often used in toxicity tests and are relevant to risk assessment in the soil

• Compost worm: Eisenia fetida

Test principle

• The test analyses the effect of contaminants on the avoidance behaviour of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) after 2-day exposure in naturally polluted soil against natural or artificial soil dosed with known contaminant concentrations.

Analysed parameters

• Avoidance behaviour

Test duration

• 2 days

Relevance

• Short test duration
• Test sensitivity: avoidance reactions in sublethal concentrations
• Reflects bioavailability of contaminants in the soil
• Allows assessment of the soil regarding its habitat function

Video Tutorial